Ross Mayhew wrote:

> I have been wondering about all those 50 "valid" named varieties of
> Liguus fasciatus (Muller): do they breed true?  Also, do some of them
> have very limited ranges, and on any given hummock in the Everglades,
> how many varieties is one likely to find?

Hello!
Hi Mayhew,

Some colonies are pure, that is, one color form, variety or whatever you
choose to
name the snail. Other colonies are mixed, two or more forms. When a clutch
of eggs hatch in a pure colony you get 100% of that form. When a clutch of
eggs hatch in a mixed colony (3 color forms, for example) you get a mixed
percentage of the three forms without any intergrades. For example, a
colony
comprised of marmoratus and roseatus does not have intergrades of roseatus
with marmoratus color characters or vice versa, not even swapped colors
on the protoconch. One is dark pink the other is white, without shadings
like
pinky or rosy, as some dealers would say.

The Liguus are partially self fertilizing, but you need two to tango, that
is one
snail will not self fertilize without stimulus. This mechanism may be (I
said MAY)
the reason why color forms get established so rapidly. There have been
many
cases of "hybrid color forms" appearing when distant and isolated forms
have been
mixed as in the case of planting snails from the lower keys colonies at
pine crest.
The "hybrids" are instantly recognizable and do breed "true color forms",
that is,
their own new color form.

As far as how many color forms there are; go count the ones on my list at
the Liguus website. It is accurate.

As far as ranges for specific color forms, yes, many have extremely limited

ranges, sometimes in hammocks less than 100 x 50 yards or meters. For
example hammock #11, home of the form lucidovarius. The hammock has
burned (naturally) several times but the critters came back. Dont know how
it has fared lately. All of the populations are essentially isolated from
each other
in hammocks or keys. For all practical purposes saltwater or sawgrass swamp

are both impassable for the Liguus.

Need any more info?

Later,

Emilio Jorge Power

Please visit;

"The Liguus Home Page"
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Gold/9440/liguus/lighompa.html

"The Polymita Homepage"
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Gold/9440/polymita/polyhompg.html

West Melbourne, Florida  USA