Dear Shellers:
 
Just got back from a shelling trip to Eleuthera and I did not see a
response to this question.
 
The first snail in space on the last Space Shuttle mission was
Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818).  However, this was not the first
mollusk in space, nor,obviously, the first seashell in space.  More
later.
 
Alan Gettleman
Merritt Island, FL
 
 
 
Gregory Herbert wrote:
>
> I was watching the news last night, and there was a story about all the
> animals scientists were taking aboard the spaceshuttle.  They are studying
> the effects of weightlessness on these critters.  My ears perked up when I
> heard "snails" were taken.  Does anyone out there know which species was
> the official first snail in space?  Should we call it a slugonaut?
>
> Greg Herbert