Hello All,

A number of you were very helpfull some months ago with my querries in to Pomacea f.. Here's hopeing someone out there can offer up some ideas on something a little different.

I have a question on the use ofthe predatory molusk  Euglandina rosea (F Erussac1821) as an agent of biological pest control in ancient Mesoamerica. I know that E. rosea has been used for this purpose in modern times (often with unfortunate side effects).

1. I have encountered the shell of E. roseus in archaeological contexts in northwestern Belize Central America. As live specimines are often found in the surrounding modern vegitation, I have always assumed that the shells I was finding were intrusive in nature.

2. Recently I read an article by Pinto-Guillaume in the January volume of hte Americam Journal of Archaeology, where it is proposed that the Romans of the first century B.C. to first century A.D. may have used Rumina decolata (Linne 1758) as a form of biological past controll in villa gardens.

3. My question becomes could the ancient Maya of Central America have used the rosy wolf snail (E. rosea) as a biological control in their kitchen gardens? In other words maybe some my pesky "intrusive" terrestrial snail shells are not intrusive after all.

Any comments, notions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all,

Bob,

Robert J. Lichtenstein R.P.A.
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