Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 2294129
Decollate Snail
Rumina decollataAlso known as Truncated Snail, Predatory Snail
Decollate snails are renowned for self-amputating the earliest whorls of their shell as they mature, leaving a distinctive blunt, truncated spire sealed with a calcified septum. Primarily nocturnal, these active burrowers spend the heat of the day beneath mulch or topsoil before emerging after rain to hunt other invertebrates. Widely introduced in citrus orchards and gardens to control brown garden snail populations, they often disrupt local ecosystems by consuming native mollusks and delicate seedlings.
CarnivorousNocturnalMollusk
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Brown Garden Snail
- Slugs
- Mollusk Eggs
Predators
- Ground Beetles
- Songbirds
- Small Rodents
ThreatsBroadcast molluscicides, severe freezing, and habitat disturbance
HabitatsAgricultural groves, cultivated gardens, scrubland, and leaf litter
Life span1–2 years
Classification
- OrderStylommatophora
- FamilyAchatinidae
- GenusRumina
- SpeciesRumina decollata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Shelter Searches: Gently overturn garden stones, rotting boards, or thick mulch in damp areas to locate resting individuals.
- Apex Observation: Examine the blunt top of an adult shell with a hand lens to see the calcified wall sealing the broken tip.
Prey "Garden Snail" by SidPix is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Prey (c) Bruce Marlin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Competitor (c) Dylan Parker, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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