>Some of the common, large European land snails have spread to distant parts
>of the world with European culture, e.g. Helix aspersa, Cepaea nemoralis,
>Cepaea hortensis. Others have not. How far has Arianta arbustorum spread,
>for example? I have not been able to find records of it in America.

The Cepaea twins are native to North America, according to John
Maunder (Newfoundland Museum) and Ron Noseworthy. Not all of
Newfoundland was glaciated during the Pleistocene/Holocene, and the
colonies there survived. As with many plant and animal species, NA &
Eurasia share quite a few species from way back.

Lotsa other Eurosnails have spread... in NZ from memory we have
candidula intersecta, Cochlicopa lubrica, Helix aspersa, limacids,
Myosotella myosotis (OK, that's really a marine beast) and the large
flat zonitid whose name escapes me just now. Otala has established
itself in Argentina. H. aspersa lives just about everywhere.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<[log in to unmask]>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
I want your sinistral gastropods!
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