Helix aspersa seems quite an opportunistic feeder. I have seen it gathered around the freshly squashed remains of one of its own kind. --------------------------------------- Mike Cortie Mintek, South Africa phone RSA-11-709-4485 email [log in to unmask] --------------------------------------- > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul Monfils [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: 06 May 1998 20:19 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Land Snail Scavengers? > > Dear Conch-L'ers: > Among the marine gastropods there are many herbivores and many > carnivores, and the carnivores include both predators and scavengers. > The scavengers are an important factor in breaking down dead > organisms. Put a dead fish on a shallow, muddy bottom, and within an > hour there may be a hundred or more Nassarius feeding on it. The land > snails seem to be primarily herbivorous, but there are some predators > like Euglandina. Does anyone know of any land snails that are either > obligate or opportunistic scavengers, that is, species which are > attracted to and/or feed on dead animal matter? > > Paul M.