the decollate snail , scientific name rumina decollata , is a medium-sized predatory land snail , a species of terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family subulinidae .

it is a european species that has been introduced in a number of areas worldwide .

decollate snail

/ pmg / ne / decollate _ snail . html revised : april 25 , 2014 .
decollate snails are omnivorous and thus can be harmful or helpful to garden landscapes . as a predator , the decollate snail is useful with the control of the herbivorous brown garden snail . however , the decolallate snail is also herbivorous , and if there are no brown garden snails or other alternatives the decollate snail can cause serious damage to landscape plants .
the decollate snail ( rumina decollata ) : the predatory snail can anyone please advise me about the decollate snail , i . e . : habitat & habits ; why commercial distribution in california is restricted to south tehachape mountains ; effectiveness in controlling garden snails ; life cycle etc ? :
introduction of the decollate snail was intended for use as a biological control of the brown garden snail ( cornu aspersum ) . the snail was first introduced in the 1800 ' s in charleston , sc .
hans - martin braun added the english common name
decollate snail
to
rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 )
.
figure 4 . top view of the decollate snail , rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 ) . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
figure 5 . reverse view of the decollate snail , rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 ) . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
habitat : decollate snails are commonly found in landscape plants where they feed on other snails and slugs or vegetation .
click here for a video of what happens when a rosy wolf snail and a cuban brown snail meet .
the decollate snail ( rumina decollata ) is an inch long terrestrial snail that is uniformly tan to light brown in color . it is common for adults to have the tip of their coiled shell broken off ( decollated ) .
fisher tw , orth re , swanson sc . 1980 . snail against snail . california agriculture nov . - dec . : 3 pp .
fisher tw ; orth re ; swanson sc , 1980 . snail against snail . california agriculture , nov - dec , 18 - 20 .
management of the brown garden snail is a four - step process that involves pruning tree skirts , banding tree trunks with copper foil or a basic copper sulfate slurry ; putting out poison bait to reduce their populations ; and making releases of the predatory decollate snail , rumina decollata ( uc / ipm 2009 ) .
fisher tw , orth re , swanson sc . 1980 . snail against snail . california agriculture ( nov . - dec . ) : 3 pp .
decollate snails can easily be removed using a combination of methods involving habitat modification , hand picking , trapping , barriers , and bait . modifying habitats can help prevent any kind of pest snail through removal of hiding places such as clumps of vegetation or piles of brush .
brantlinger . 1953 . a european snail . arizona cooperative economic insect report 3 : 849 .
this is a fascinating texas snail . it is a predator and actively hunts smaller snails .
this is a work in progress , but you get the idea . want child and pet safe long term snail control ? then use decollate snails , where allowed by law , in your landscaped areas like ground cover beds and in citrus plantings or groves . . you can purchase these awesome predators at urltoken
this snail can be either white , tan , or brown , and usually has a dark band .
click here for a video of what happens when a rosy wolf snail and a carolina mantle slug meet .
relative size influences gender role in the freshwater hermaphroditic snail , helisoma trivolvis ; cynthia g . norton et al .
the decollate snail has been employed as biological control for pestiferous snail and slugs for many years . this species will rarely consume plant material . this generalist predator will feed indiscriminately and has been implicated in the decimation of native gastropods ( including non - pest species ) and beneficial annelids . sexual maturity occurs at approximately 10 months . each adult is capable of laying 500 eggs throughout its lifetime . the eggs are deposited singly in the soil and will hatch between 10 - 45 days .
control infestations of small and medium brown garden snails with decollate snails . decollates also eat old leaf mulch , but they do not eat healthy plants . during the day decollates live in the first few inches of moist top soil , leaf mulch or under rocks . as the sun goes down they come out to hunt your slugs and snails . decollates move about the garden looking for the egg masses of the slugs and snails , and attacking the smaller brown garden snail . a decollate snail lives for about 2 years and lays about 200 eggs a year . once it is released and working it is most often the last time you will ever need to spend money to fight the brown garden snail . over a period of time your slugs and snails will be brought under control without the use of poisonous chemicals . the snails will be dormant when you receive them .
r . decollata is susceptible to conventional molluscicide baits and as it seeks cover , undergrowth can be cleared to confine the snail in the baited area , as the snail does not readily cross open ground ( fisher et al . , 1980 ) .
mead ar . 1961 . the giant african snail ; a problem in economic malacology . university of chicago press , 257 pp .
figure 2 . extended adult brown garden snail , cornu aspersum ( müller ) . photograph by bill frank , jacksonville shell club .
: survival of the snail despite the apex loss is ensured thanks to a calcareous deposit that formed inside before the tip loss .
eggs of decollate snails are laid in masses under piles of debris or in the soil . the eggs typically hatch within a month after they are laid if conditions are favorable . the resistant nature of the 1 inch eggs allows for longer periods of incubation if the environment is not suitable .
basinger aj . 1931 . the european brown snail in california . university of california agricultural experiment station bulletin 151 : 1 - 22 .
as the snail continues growing and new , much larger whorls form , changes occur in the old ones . the snail retreats in the new whorls , forms a new calcareous seal inside the shell and the old whorls , now fragile and empty , are chipped off .
alezan and margot , mating . both adults ( and fellow helix pomatia blanche , not shown ) were purchased from a snail farm in austria
this snail is a predator , feeding exclusively on other snails . it prefers to eat allopeas gracile , another exotic species about the same size .
mead ar , 1961 . the giant african snail : a problem in economic malacology . chicago , usa : university of chicago press , 257 pp .
uc / ipm . ( september 2009 ) . citrus brown garden snail . uc pest management guidelines . university of california . ( 29 july 2014 )
selander rk ; kaufman dw ; ralin rs , 1974 . self - fertilization in the terrestrial snail rumina decollata . veliger , 16 : 265 - 270 .
figure 4 . the brown garden snail , cornu aspersum ( müller ) , showing yellow coloring . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
figure 6 . infestation of brown garden snail , cornu aspersum ( müller ) , on a citrus tree in california . photograph by division of plant industry .
fear not , we’ll be back soon ! = ] at the moment this snail enthusiast is enjoying a trip in new orleans ! sadly , no gastropods to speak of in lousiana , safe for a little snail spotted on g . washington’s statue in baton rouge . ( plenty of turtles , herons and alligators , though ! )
francesco cgde ; lagiglia h , 2007 . a predatory land snail invades central - western argentina . biological invasions , 9 ( 7 ) : 795 - 798 . urltoken
figure 3 . shells of the brown garden snail , cornu aspersum ( müller ) , displaying various color shades encountered . photograph by bill frank , jacksonville shell club .
canadian food inspection agency . ( february 2009 ) . helix aspersa ( müller ) , european brown garden snail . canadian food inspection agency . ( 29 july 2014 )
garofalo jf , weissling t , duke er , vedaee j , bishop l . 2001 . snail and slug management in south florida . miami - dade county cooperative extension service .
this snail loses its apex , resulting in a broken look . this also affects the overall height of the shell . the shell is usually brown or tan , and the body is gray .
solem , a . 1990 . how many hawaiian land snail species are left ? and what we can do for them . bishop mus . occas . pap . , 30 : 27 - 40 .
chiu shui - chen , ken - ching chou . 1962 . observations on the biology of the carnivorous snail , euglandina rosea ferussac . bulletin institute of zoology , academia sinica 1 : 17 - 24 .
batts , j . h . 1957 . anatomy and life cycle of the snail rumina decollata ( pulmonata : achatinidae ) . the southwestern naturalis t 2 ( 2 / 3 ) : 74 - 82 .
the brown garden snail has been eradicated from at least two locations in florida since 1963 by the division of plant industry . most infestations are believed to be introduced on shipments of container - grown plants from california .
the shell of mature specimens can attain a maximum length of 45 mm and a width of 14 mm . it is reasonably easy to detect mature specimens of this species , as they are characteristically
decollate - shaped
. upon maturity , adult specimens intentionally break off the tip of the shell , leaving it with a blunt end . there are generally 4 - 7 whorls in adult specimens . an additional 3 - 4 whorls may be observed in juveniles of this species .
during the summer months , the eggs hatch in about two weeks . the shells of hatchlings are fragile and translucent . maturity requires about two years in southern california . in south africa the snails take about 10 months to become mature , producing one generation a year ( gunn 1924 ) . when dry conditions prevail , the snail may seal itself to various objects or close the shell opening with a parchmentlike epiphragm . the snail becomes active again in humid conditions .
auffenberg k ; stange la , 1986 . snail - eating snails of florida . entomology circular , florida department of agriculture and consumer services , division of plant industry , no . 285 : 4 pp . ; [ 6 fig . ] .
copper screen or copper flashing can surround a raised bed , or for small planters , copper foil ( such as snail - barr ) can be used to wrap the entire container . shrubs can have a band of copper around the lower trunk .
the brown garden snail ( european brown snail ) , cornu aspersum , was described by o . f . müller from specimens collected in italy . this plant feeder has been disseminated into many parts of the world intentionally as a food delicacy , and accidentally by the movement of plants and by hobbyists who collect snails . it was introduced to california in the 1850s as a source of escargot . it has adapted well to california and is a very troublesome pest of crops and ornamentals ( capinera 2001 ) .
if we have missed any , please let us know ! we have tried to be as all - inclusive as possible of all snail and slug barriers , repellents , and toxins . there is however , always another idea out there , and if we have not included it on our list , please let us know . we always welcome any feedback . contact us . any additional information sent in will be posted below . overall , we hope you have found our
definitive slug and snail guide
helpful and useful .
reproduction of non - mammalian animals catches the attention of some people because they usually are unique processes . snails have a striking appearance , but their reproductive habits are also uncommon . one of the keys to snail survival through time are the characteristics of their reproduction process .
the term snail is a common name applied to any gastropod mollusk who can retract into his shell . thousands of species of snails live on land , in freshwater streams and ponds , and in saltwater bodies . they inhabit a range of regions including arid deserts and frigid sea depths .
the snail and slug control methods listed below are not in any particular order , but all of these methods are organic , execept one , ( and you ' ll see its drawbacks when you read it ) . the basic fact is that all these methods work to varying degrees , and after reading this guide , slug and snail control will be much easier for you , and you ' ll be able to implement something quickly and easily , and you won ' t have any further problems . won ' t it be nice to have healthy , uneaten plants once again !
, a . k . a roman snail ) has only one eye . whether this is the result of trauma or birth defect , it’s unclear , but one thing is certain : it hasn’t prevented alezan from living a healthy , functional life – or successfully reproducing , for the matter .
mating requires four to 12 hours . oviposition occurs three to six days after fertilization . white spherical eggs about 1 / 8 inch in diameter are deposited in a nest constructed by the snail . the snail builds the nest by using its foot to shovel soil upwards . the nest is about 1 to 1 . 5 inches deep . the egg mass is concealed by a mixture of soil , mucus , and excrement . the number of eggs deposited at one time varies from 30 to 120 ( capinera 2001 ) . basinger ( 1931 ) reported an average of 86 eggs laid during each oviposition .
cannibalism in some form or another is not infrequent among gastropods : several snails ( including pomacea bridgesii and other common aquarium snails ) will feed on the remains of dead conspecifics , and sibling cannibalism has been observed among hatchlings ( e . g . newborns of the common garden snail , cornu aspersum , will sometimes eat the other eggs that haven’t hatched yet ) . few species , however , hunt live individuals of their same species : schizoglossa novoseelandica being an example . by contrast , despite being known as “cannibal snail” , euglandina rosea ( rosy wolfsnail ) will rarely prey upon individuals of the same species .
comments : this snail is apparently an effective predator of subulina octona ( bruguière , 1798 ) ( mead 1961 ) and pupillids ( dundee and baerwald 1984 ) . in florida , the presence of four apertural teeth is diagnostic except for some tiny species of pupillidae which are distinguished by their ovate or pupate shapes .
snails feeding on cultivated plants may become serious pests . in california , enormous snail populations may become established in citrus groves and cause serious damage to leaves and fruit ( basinger 1931 ) . they also cause economic damage to truck crops and ornamental plants . large numbers of snails are a nuisance around a residence .
after mating , both adults will lay eggs , in a hole several centimetres deep in the ground , where earth is moist and soft . the eggs are fairly large ( about 1cm in diametre ) . egg laying is a strenuous activity , which may take up to a full day for a burgundy snail .
first of all , it is a voracious predator ( although it will also feed on vegetables and decaying matter ) . second , any other snail with a fractured shell apex would not , under most circumstances , survive . but to this disconcerting species , a broken shell is its trademark . and an inevitable part of its growth .
snails belong to the class gastropoda . they prefer an undisturbed habitat with adequate moisture and good food supply . the snail body is protected by a hard shell , usually marked with spirals . most land snails are nocturnal , but following a rain may come out of their hiding places during the day . they move with a gliding motion by means of a long , flat , muscular organ called a foot . mucus is constantly secreted by glands in the foot , which facilitates movement and leaves a slimy trail . the reproductive organs of both sexes occur in the same individual and each snail is capable of self - fertilization , although cross fertilization is normal . adults deposit eggs .
7 . natural predators possums , chickens , ducks , turtles , tortoises , rats , some birds , and snakes , will prey on snails and slugs . most people that have chickens and ducks hardly ever see a slug or a snail . obviously this solution will appeal only to those who live in a rural , or favorable setting .
after fertilization , the eggs go through a process of growth inside the snail , until they are ready to be delivered . after that , both snails lay their eggs and bury them in separate places inside a small hole made in the topsoil in a cool place . the mating process of snails allows them to deliver eggs at a consistent rate .
a lucky encounter with a juvenile cantareus apertus , also known as the green snail . native of the mediterranean and north africa , these snails spend most of their life underground , but emerge after rain . subadults like this one have a yellowish - green shell and body , which will darken with time : as adults they are almost black fleshed and have uniformely brown shells .
there are , however , exceptions . the snails of the family pomatiidae differ from their relatives because they have separated genders , that is to say , each snail is either a male or is a female according to the reproductive organs that it possesses . it is relatively easy to recognize the gender since the species present sexual dimorphism : the shell of males is smaller than females .
you just found a little snail in your garden ( or was it your salad , maybe ? ) , and despite its slime and all , you actually think it’s a cute critter . so cute that the idea the resident gardener ( spouse , parent , neighbour… ) wouldn’t think twice about killing it makes you feel sorry for it and you decide to take it home for safety .
it will typically take a snail egg two to four weeks to develop . ( 1 ) as soon as they hatch , they will immediately move into a survival mode , because their shells still are soft . their first reaction as soon as they hatch is to find sources of calcium either eating the remainings of their egg or eating other eggs that have not hatched to get the extra nutrients .
due to the brown garden snail , various states in the united states have quarantine restrictions concerning plant materials brought in from other states . states with quarantine regulations include arizona , california , louisiana , mississippi , oregon , south carolina , texas and washington . however , other states may also have quarantines . check with each state ' s department of agriculture before shipping or taking potentially infested materials to other states .
thanks for the additional slug and snail killer technique . i personally have never used this method , but obviously you are using it with great success , and without harming the plants . i have never heard of ammonia harming the environment , in fact it is commonly used in home - made insect killers . i think if it works , keep using it . thanks for the information , and making this definitive guide even better !
frequency of oviposition is subject to temperature , humidity , and soil conditions . low temperature and low humidity inhibit the activity of the snail , and dry soil is unsuitable for the preparation of a nest . during warm , damp weather , oviposition may occur once a month . if each individual is capable of laying eggs once every six weeks from february to october , then oviposition occurs approximately five times a year and 430 eggs are laid ( basinger 1931 ) .
before the intercourse , both approach to start the courtship process consisting of a series of movements and attitudes that will finish or not in the mating . the entire process can last as little as 2 hours or as long as 12 hours . to find a partner , they primarily rely on their sense of smell and touch , as their visual capacity is poorly developed and devoid of hearing . they can recognize chemicals in the air that communicate the receptivity of some other snail nearby .
identification : the adult shell is large , being up to 45 mm in height and 14 mm in diameter . it only retains four to seven whorls in adulthood , the other eight to 10 whorls being lost . the shell is perforate , glossy and sculptured with prominent axial growth lines and fine spiral striae . the columella is straight , its lip margin reflexed but the outer lip is simple . the shell color is pinkish brown . it is not easily confused with any other snail in florida .
i created this weblog to share with others my interest in gastropods - or
snails and slugs
, if you prefer . here on the web i go by the nick of schnäggli , which is - unsurprisingly , i guess - schwiizertüütsch ( swiss german ) for a snail . this blog is a both a resource for others who may find in it useful information and a personal journal in which i record my experience , discoveries and encounters with all sorts of gastropods . all text and photos are copyrighted by me unless otherwise stated .
originally , this snail was regarded as a minor plant pest , but was also recognized as omnivorous . studies in california , usa , found that although it would feed on fallen fruit and on plant debris in contact with the ground , it would not generally attack established plants and was not found to cause damage to citrus fruit still attached to trees ( fisher et al . , 1980 ) . however , its ability to control helix aspersa has lead to its widespread use as a biological control agent in citrus orchards ( auffenberg and stange , 1986 ) .
snails ' fascinating bodies are capable of incredible change and adaptation . the eyes of water - dwelling and land snails have adapted to perch on two eye stalks that can retract and extend from the snails ' bodies . these eye stalks slip inside - out when retracting , protecting the snails ' eyesight from predators , turf wars and the elements . snail bodies have adapted for reproduction ; snails are hermaphroditic - - they can change sex if necessary to procreate . in addition to their ability to change sex , some snails can self - fertilize and reproduce asexually .
to put at test the theory that decollation occurs simply as a consequence of friction , the specimen shown above – nicknamed dedalus – was raised in soft - substratum terrarium and all precautions were taken to preserve its shell intact for as long as possible . in spite of that , old whorls progressively changed , appearing thinner and more fragile just before chipping off . the impression i was given was that the snail was actually reabsorbing calcium from the old whorls ( despite the extra calcium supplies available in the tank in the form of cuttlefish bones ) before ridding of them .
six - week old cornu aspersum ( a . k . a cantareus aspersus or helix aspersa ) , the common garden snail . born transparent , they began developping shell pigmentation after a couple of weeks , starting with the bands . the final pattern of their shells however won’t be certain until they have fully grown : until then the bands continue evolving as the shell grows and may become thicker or thinner , darker or lighter , and adjacent bands may merge into a single , broader one while others may simply fade and disappear . as such , even if apparently all juveniles developped five bands at first , adults may have less .
today i was looking for some tips on ferns , but stumbled across your
how to kill slugs and snails - the definitive guide
. i have been battling with these slimy critters ever since we moved into our house 2 years ago , and have tried many ways of getting rid of them . recently i have become more sensitive to the fact that all of nature is important in its own special way , so now i tend to feel bad every time i want to stomp a snail or throw it hiiiiggggh up in the air so that it crash lands on the road . now i am looking for more humane , organic and environmentally responsible ways of getting the job done .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
statewide ipm program , agriculture and natural resources , university of california all contents copyright © 2014 the regents of the university of california . all rights reserved .
for noncommercial purposes only , any web site may link directly to this page . for all other uses or more information , read legal notices . unfortunately , we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems . see our home page , or in the u . s . , contact your local cooperative extension office for assistance .
2000 - 2017 . all rights reserved . buglogical control systems , inc . po box 32046 , tucson , az 85751 - 2046 phone : 520 - 298 - 4400
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
in florida , there are three native and two introduced species of snails , belonging to five different families , that are known to feed on other snails . in addition , several introduced species of the subulinidae are considered carnivorous , but little is known of their biology and identification is difficult .
identification : the shell is large , up to 76 mm in height and 27 . 5 mm in diameter , is thick and has prominent growth lines . the shape of the shell is fusiform with a narrow ovate - lunate aperture and a truncated columella . typically , the shell color is brownish - pink . adults measure 7 - 10 cm in length .
figure 1 . the rosy wolfsnail , euglandina rosea ( férussac , 1821 ) . photograph by lyle , j . buss , university of florida .
figure 2 . top view of the rosy wolfsnail , euglandina rosea ( férussac , 1821 ) . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
figure 3 . reverse view of the rosy wolfsnail , euglandina rosea ( férussac , 1821 ) . photograph by paul m . choate , university of florida .
distribution : in the united states : alabama , florida , georgia , hawaii , louisiana , mississippi , south carolina and southeastern texas . it is widespread in florida , including the keys . it is widespread , but usually found singly in hardwood forests , roadsides and urban gardens ( hubricht 1985 ) .
distribution : native to the mediterranean area , but introduced widely in the united states , bermuda and mexico . it is widespread , but localized , in the sun belt from california east to florida and north along the atlantic coast to pennsylvania . very localized populations in florida are known from pensacola ( dundee 1970 ) , miami , key vaca and marathon .
identification : the shell is large , 10 to 22 mm in diameter and 5 to 10 mm in height , and depressed with 5 to 5 1 / 2 whorls . the whorls are convex with deeply impressed sutures . the umbilicus is broadly open , about 1 / 3 shell diameter . the shell is moderately strong , shining and smooth except for irregular axial striations and occasional fine spiral incised lines . the aperture is round to lunate . the parietal callus is yellowish , usually with a thickened edge . the shell color is white to very pale brown ( dead ) or greenish - white to light yellow ( alive ) .
figure 6 . the gray lancetooth , haplotrema concavum ( say , 1821 ) . photograph by bill frank , urltoken .
figure 7 . the gray lancetooth , haplotrema concavum ( say , 1821 ) . photograph by bill frank , urltoken .
distribution : southern canada to the gulf states and west to eastern nebraska and oklahoma ( hubricht 1985 ) . in florida , it is presently known only from counties bordering the apalachicola river .
comments : found in humid hardwood forests , living in leaf litter at tree bases , or under rotting logs . pilsbry ( 1946 ) states that this family is rapacious , but hubricht ( 1985 ) found this species feeding on dead shells more often than living snails , suggesting that this species may be using other snails as a source of lime rather than as prey . in florida , these snails , especially juveniles , could be confused with the smaller , introduced species of oxychilus . however , the much broader and open umbilicus of haplotrema is distinctive .
identification : the shell is small , 5 to 7 . 5 mm in height and 1 . 5 to 2 . 0 mm in diameter ) , elongate and sturdy . shell color is very pale brown to white ; live specimens are bright orange due to body color . shell sculpture is smooth , except at sutures where axial riblets are present . well developed axial ribs are present behind apertural lip and in the umbilical region . aperture with four prominent teeth .
figure 8 . the two - toned gulella , huttonella bicolor ( hutton , 1834 ) . drawing by bill frank , www . jaxshells . org .
distribution : introduced from orient ( burch 1962 ) or southern africa ( dundee 1974 ) . widespread in the caribbean region . in the united states , apart from florida , it is also known from louisiana , mississippi , south carolina , and texas ( dundee 1974 ) . it is also found in brazil , nicaragua , australia ( northern territory ) , and the pacific area .
identification : the shell is small , 6 to 8 mm in height and 1 . 5 to 1 . 7 mm in diameter ) , elongate , somewhat scariform and thin . the whorls number 8 to 8 1 / 2 , and are convex with deeply impressed sutures . shell sculpture is distinctive with about 25 straight , narrow axial ribs , between which are six to eight fine axial striae . the shell is imperforate , the aperture ovate , and the outer lip slightly sigmoid , arching forward at middle but receding at base . the columella is straight and slightly calloused . shell color is pale brown .
figure 9 . varicella gracillima floridana pilsbry 1907 . photograph by john slapcinsky , university of florida .
distribution : collected only from the florida keys and the miami area . the subspecies varicella g . gracillima ( pfeiffer 1851 ) occurs in western cuba ( pilsbry 1946 ) .
comments : these snails live under leaf litter , logs and rocks , usually in hardwood hammocks . no studies have been made of their biology , but burch ( 1962 ) implied they are predatory on other snails .
burch jb . 1962 . how to know the eastern land snails . wm . c . brown co . , publishers , dubuque , iowa . 214 pp .
dundee ds . 1970 . introduced gulf coast mollusca . tulane studies in zoology and botany 16 : 101 - 115 .
dundee ds . 1974 . catalog of introduced molluscs of eastern north america ( north of mexico ) . sterkiana 55 : 1 - 37 .
dundee ds , baerwald rj . 1984 . observations on a micropredator gulella bicolor ( hutton ) ( gastropoda : pulmonata : streptaxidae ) . nautilus 98 : 63 - 68 .
hart ad . 1978 . the onslaught against hawaii ' s tree snails . natural history magazine ( december ) : 46 - 56 .
hubricht l . 1985 . the distributions of the native land mollusks of the eastern united states . fieldiana , zoology ( new series ) no . 24 : i - viii , 1 - 191 .
pilsbry ha . 1946 . land mollusca of north america ( north of mexico ) . academy of natural sciences philadelphia monographs no . 3 , 2 : 1 - 520 .
authors : kurt auffenberg and lionel a . stange , florida department of agriculture and consumer services , division of plant industry ; t . r . fasulo , university of florida
publication date : november 2001 . latest revision : july 2011 . reviewed : december 2017 .
urltoken unabridged based on the random house unabridged dictionary , © random house , inc . 2018
this page was last edited on 28 february 2015 , at 04 : 29 .
text is available under the creative commons attribution - sharealike license ; additional terms may apply . by using this site , you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
classification from integrated taxonomic information system ( itis ) selected by c . michael hogan - see more .
hans - martin braun added the german common name
stumpfschnecke
to
rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 )
.
c . michael hogan marked the classification from
integrated taxonomic information system ( itis )
as preferred for
rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 )
.
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
photographer : john t . griffth affiliation : san diego reader source : sandiegoreader . com copyright : public domain
u . s . present : throughout the u . s . , but highly concentrated in the southern states from california to pennsylvania
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
like most websites we use cookies . this is to ensure that we give you the best experience possible .
continuing to use urltoken means you agree to our use of cookies . if you would like to , you can learn more about the cookies we use .
what minor damage is caused by rumina feeding on healthy plants is normally indistinguishable from that caused by other common garden pests . it is uncertain whether rumina initiates damage , or whether it feeds on plant material already damaged or mechanically bruised by pest or human activities ( fisher et al . , 1980 ) .
continuing to use urltoken means you agree to our use of cookies . if you would like to , you can learn more about the cookies we use .
we’d value your feedback on the tool . our survey takes only five minutes to complete .
the distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available . when several references are cited , they may give conflicting information on the status . further details may be available for individual references in the distribution table details section which can be selected by going to generate report .
el - wakil hb ; banaja aea ; amer sam , 2011 . morphometric and genetic insights for three terrestrial snails in taif province of saudi arabia . world applied sciences journal , 14 ( 4 ) : 546 - 551 . urltoken
germain l , 1930 . mollusques de la france et des régions voisines . tome ii gastéropodes pulmonés et prosobranches terrestres et fluviatiles . paris , france .
greathead dj ; greathead ah , 1992 . biological control of insect pests by insect parasitoids and predators : the biocat database . biocontrol news and information , 13 ( 4 ) : 61n - 68n .
kerney mp ; cameron rad , 1979 . a field guide to the land snails of britain and north - west europe . london , uk : collins .
mead ar , 1979 . pulmonates . volume 2b . economic malacology with particular reference to achatina fulica . pulmonates . volume 2b . economic malacology with particular reference to achatina fulica . , x + 150 pp ; [ 5 fig . , 240 x 160 mm ] .
minato h ; uozumi k , 1992 . rumina decollata ( linnaeus , 1758 ) , a new intruder in japan . chiribotan , 22 ( 3 ) : 72 - 74 .
schotman cyl , 1989 . plant pests of quarantine importance to the caribbean . rlac - proveg , no . 21 : 80 pp .
one or more of the features that are needed to show you the maps functionality are not available in the web browser that you are using .
please consider upgrading your browser to the latest version or installing a new browser .
the page you requested was not located within this site . please select an option from the navigation .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
all material and data on this webpage is under the copyright of the author of this site - stephen mifsud / urltoken / malta . ( 2002 - 2010 )
figure 1 . adult brown garden snails , cornu aspersum ( müller ) . photograph taken in southern san diego county , california . photograph by bill frank , jacksonville shell club .
burch ( 1960 ) reports natural distribution in britain , western europe , and along borders of the mediterranean and black seas . it has been introduced into the atlantic islands , south africa , haiti , new zealand , australia , mexico , chile and argentina .
in the united states , capinera ( 2001 ) reports its distribution in california and along the west coast north to british columbia , canada , in most southeastern states and along the east coast north to new jersey . however , it has not developed the serious pest status found in california throughout its range . although occasionally intercepted on plant shipments to florida , it has not become established in florida .
the shell is large , globose , rather thin , imperforate or nearly so , moderately glossy , and sculptured with fine wrinkles . the shell may be either yellow or horn - colored with chestnut brown spiral bands interrupted by yellow flecks or streaks . the aperture is roundly lunate to ovate - lunate , with the lip turned back . adult shells ( four to five whorls ) measure 28 to 32 mm in diameter ( burch 1960 ) .
figure 5 . adult brown garden snails , cornu aspesrum ( müller ) , size comparison on an oversized 160 mm lemon . photograph taken in southern san diego county , california . photograph by bill frank , jacksonville shell club .
brown garden snails attain a diameter of 16 to 20 mm within one year , and 26 to 33 mm by the second year . these snails are nocturnal and feed on organic matter in the soil , tree bark , and vegetation . nearly anything growing in a vegetable or flower garden can be consumed . they normally feed only within the temperature range of 5 to 21°c ( capinera 2001 ) .
buxus microphylla ' japonica ' ( california boxwood ) , crinum sp . , cupressus sempervirens l . ( italian cypress ) , grevillea sp . , hibiscus spp . , and juniperus spp . , rosa sp . , and other unidentified plants and shrubs at the davie , florida , infestation ( 1969 ) .
vegetables : cabbage , carrot , cauliflower , celery , bean , beet , brussels sprouts , lettuce , mangel , onion , peas , radish , tomato , and turnips .
flowers : alyssum , antirrhinum , aster , balsam , carnation , candytuft , chrysanthemum , dianthus , dahlia , delphinium , hollyhock , larkspur , lilies , marguerite , mignonette , nasturtium , pansy , pentstemon , petunia , phlox , stock , sweet - pea , verbena , and zinnia .
habitat reduction will aid in control . remove anything snails may hide under : boards , bags , brush and debris . during the night , place a board on the ground near damaged plants . elevate the board with four stones placed under the corners . the snails will take shelter under the board in the morning and can be removed and destroyed by dropping them into a jar filled with water and a little rubbing alcohol . some birds , especially ducks , will feed on these snails ( garofalo 2001 ) .
barriers of diatomaceous earth , sand or ashes provide only temporary control . with a beer trap the goal is to trap and drown snails and slugs in a shallow dish with beer placed slightly below grade so that the lip of the dish is even with the soil . however , this does not provide reliable control ( bradley 1999 ) .
bradley lk . ( november 1999 ) . snails and slugs in the low desert . university of arizona cooperative extension . ( 16 june 2011 ) .
burch jb . 1960 . some snails and slugs of quarantine significance to the united states . u . s . department of agriculture research service 82 : 1 - 70 .
capinera jl . 2001 . handbook of vegetable pests . academic press , san diego . 729 pp .
gunn d . 1924 . the brown and grey snails : two destructive garden pests . journal of the department of agriculture ( union of south africa ) reprint no . 42 : 3 - 10 .
authors : g . w . dekle , florida department of agriculture and consumer services , division of plant industry ; and t . r . fasulo ( retired ) , university of florida .
publication date : october 2001 . latest revision : july 2014 . reviewed : december 2017 .
description : the shell is round with 5 whorls , and is polymorphic : brown or yellow , usually with a dark band running up the whorls tangent to the shoulder .
tall , conical shell with 5 - 6 whorls . pale color with faint stripes .
: a round , disc - shaped shell with lateral grooves and a rough texture . it is tan or cream - colored with reddish - brown flecks and dashes , hence the name
tigersnail .
: the globular shell is brown or tawny with dark bands with light flecks .
wrinkled and covered with a film - like periostracum that tends to flake off with age .
multiple brown bands adorn the shell , which blend in and blur as they near the apex .
the body has a dark gray mantle and dorsal side , and a pale yellow ventral .
: the shell is milky white or cream colored , often with faint bands and fleck marks . some forms have bold brown lateral bands and stripes . distinguishing features : imperforate , reflected , uniformly dark mouth .
very round , spherical shell , sometimes with a light band encircling the whorls . colors range from red , orange , yellow and white to brown , grey , and greenish . the eyes are located directly on the body , not within eyestalks . it has two tentacles , as well as an operculum .
leaf detritus , rotting wood , soil , under flat surfaces . description : this slug is usually some form of grey or brown . the head can stretch out very far from the shield . the evening fieldslug comes out at dusk to search for food .
wherever people are . . . ( houses , porches , siding , gardens , etc . ) ; leaf detritus , rotting wood , mulch , soil , under wood , water meters .
: this mollusk has a slick , scaly - looking skin that is usually grayish - green with speckled patterns . the underside is yellow . this large slug likes to sleep during the day ( like the one pictured ) , and comes out at night to look for food . upon being touched , it secretes a thick layer of slime which is nearly impossible to wash off . this species is used in the medical field for research involving neurotoxins . ( see urltoken )
: a round , pale shell , usually with a faint band running along the side . the lip is squared at the shoulder and curls in tightly to meet the shell .
the banded scrubsnail was once known as
berlandier ' s praticolelle
( abbott , pg . 135 ) .
: the shell is round and translucent . the color is gray with dark bands and flecked patterning .
dead wood , dead leafs , detritus , dirt & soil ; under wood .
: circular , ribbed shell , brown periostracum . the parietal tooth is wedge - like rather than v - shaped .
distinguishing features : perforate , reflected , 2 lip teeth , one parietal tooth .
: circular , short shell , usually tan , brown , or yellow - colored .
dead wood , gardens , shrubs , sides & bases of structures , dirt , soil , bushes .
: round , flat shell , usually brown with dark flecks and fine grooves , like a rope . the aperture is round with a single tooth , and the umbilicus is very obvious . live specimens are often a ruddy orange color .
: round , subglobose shell . the surface is usually yellowish - tan and finely ribbed .
note : an opaque periostracum ( as pictured at left ) is unusual . a more typical coloration for this species would more closely resemble that of m clausus ( see below ) .
: round , subglobose shell . the surface is translucent and is finely ribbed .
: round , flat , subglobose shell . the surface is tan and fairly smooth . the parietal tooth is usually present but often missing .
: round shell , usually brown and slightly covered in tiny bumps and hairs . the aperture has a single long tooth .
4 - 6 cm long ( shell ) ; 10 cm long ( body ) .
conical shell , pinkish - brown or orange in color w / lateral grooves .
very small , translucent shell . the tops of the whorls appear serrated , like a knife ' s edge . the top is blunt , and the lip has multiple teeth when fully developed . the shell has an opal - like sheen . the body is bright yellow and red .
tall , c onical sh ell with 7 - 9 whorls whorls . pale color with faint stripes . live specimens are bright yellow and violet .
this species is carnivorous and eats other snails . it has been used to control populations of the destructive helix aspersa , which devastates citrus crops in california .
r . decollata has been naturalized to texas . it has been bred here especially to serve as a predator to pest species . the effort has been very successful .
small , extremely thin & fragile shell , very large aperture . shells are pale and translucent with occasional stripes .
there are many species of texas amber snails . we are in the process of determining their id ' s .
: the skin looks like velvet , but slimes to the touch . . the dorsal side is black , the ventral is tan .
black - velvet leatherleafs are mysterious in the way they ' re found : many specimens can be located at a certain time and place , then disappear almost overnight . there is no logical pattern in the way they appear .
circular shell , very smooth surface . slick to the touch . there is often a pale slash on the ventral side near the aperture . some specimens have black on the dorsal .
html public
- / / ietf / / dtd html 2 . 0 / / en
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
back to how to . . . . | how to kill snails and slugs - the definitive guide
snails and slugs have been the bane of gardeners for generations . and while over time , many methods have been developed to control these slimy pests , some methods work better than others .
our goal in creating this
definitive guide
was to show all the different ways how to kill snails and slugs , or simply control them , so you can choose which method , or combination of methods , will work best for you in your particular garden or situation .
before we get started , let ' s take a quick look at the difference between slugs and snails which is probably apparent to you , but let ' s take a quick look anyway . it is always easier to get rid of a pest when you understand it , its habits , and its lifecycle .
adults are soft - bodied , land - dwelling mollusks . snails have coiled shells on their backs and are 1 to 1 - 1 / 2 inches ( 2 . 5 to 4 cm ) long . slugs are without shells . garden slugs are 1 / 8 to 1 inch ( 3 to 25 mm ) long ( longer when stretched out ) ; banana slugs may be up to 4 to 6 inches ( 10 to 15 cm ) long . most slugs and snails are dark or light gray , tan , green , or black ; some have darker spots or patterns . they leave a characteristic slimy trail of mucus behind them . eggs are clear , oval , or round , and are laid in jelly - like masses .
both slugs and snails feed mostly on decaying plant material . they also eat soft , succulent plant tissue and rasp large holes in foliage , stems , fruit , and even bulbs . they can completely demolish seedlings and severely damage young shoots and plants . snails , and sometimes slugs , can climb into trees and shrubs to feed . both have higher numbers and cause most damage in wet years , and in regions with moist conditions , or high rainfall .
life cycle adults lay egg masses in moist soil , or under rocks or containers , or garden debris . eggs hatch in 2 to 4 weeks . slugs grow for 5 months up to 2 years before reaching maturity ; snails take 2 years to reach maturity .
hand - picking and disposing of slugs and snails ( including stomping on , throwing in the street , dropping in a bucket of salt water , etc . ) does work , because if you gather up all the adults before they reproduce , things will get dramatically better , because the tiny ones you miss , don ' t do the most damage .


a whale louse is a commensal crustacean of the family cyamidae .

despite the name , they are not true lice ( which are insects ) , but rather are related to the better-known skeleton shrimp , most species of which are found in shallower waters .

whale lice are external parasites , found in skin lesions , genital folds , nostrils and eyes of marine mammals of the order cetacea .

these include not only whales but also dolphins and porpoises .

whale louse

a new genus and species of whale - louse ( amphipoda : cyamidae ) from . . . : ingenta connect
there ' s a louse - y chance he ' ll find the video .
iwasa - arai t , freire as , colosio ac , serejo cs . ontogenetic development and redescription of the whale louse
what a weird fucking title .
louse
is singular .
lice
is plural .
in this study , we report an atypical whale louse parasitizing a southern right whale stranded on the southeastern coast of brazil and we discuss the possible implications of this cyamid host change .
what made you want to look up whale louse ? please tell us where you read or heard it ( including the quote , if possible ) .
whale louse populations correlate with population sizes of right whales , so if north atlantic right whales had small populations before whaling , the diversity of their whale lice would not be as great as those on the southern right whales .
closeup of right whale callosity with c . ovalis . from iain kerr , ocean alliance / whale conservation institute
an extreme closeup photograph of a cyamid , or ' whale louse , ' in the process of giving birth to more of the tiny crustaceans , which live as parasites on whales .
occupies the whale ' s callosities , the distinctive patches of raised and roughened skin on the whale ' s head .
aw man . fucking onions with that whale , especially when the little kid comments about knowing what the whale was doing .
suggest that the right whale calf unexpected contacted with a humpback whale for a considerable period of time , and the absence of three typical right whale cyamids species raises an inquiry about the nature of the interaction between this right whale calf and a humpback whale and whether it is possible for different baleen whale species to nurse each other . thus , the transmission of cyamids from
the three types of right whale each carry three distinct species of cyamid that live in separate ecological niches on the whale ' s body .
árnason u , spilliaert r , pálsdottir a , arnason a . molecular identification of hybrids between the two largest whale species , the blue whale (
the same three whale louse species – cyamus ovalis , cyamus gracilis and cyamus erraticus – were thought to infest each of the three different species of right whales . but the new study revealed that like the whales , each whale louse species also split into three species , so north pacific , north atlantic and southern ocean species of right whales each are infested by three distinct species of cyamid . that tripled – from three to nine – the number of cyamid species infesting right whales .
syncyamus aequus is a whale louse , but it doesn’t live on whales and it’s not really a louse . the 30 or so species called whale lice are crustaceans , like crabs—not insects , like the lice that live on humans . each species infects certain kinds of cetaceans ( the group that includes whales , dolphins and porpoises ) ; s . aequus only lives on dolphins . whale lice do have some similarities to human lice : they can only live on a host’s body , and they spread when two animals rub against each other . but whale lice feed on skin , not blood . and their hosts live in the ocean .
those bustling louse populations on whales have complex dynamics . female whale lice can only mate right after they molt , so males jealously guard them during this period . they may chase away other males , or even lift up a female and carry her away . males are larger than females in most whale lice species .
“their lifestyle is analogous to that of lice in that they live on the skin of the host and they eat sloughed skin , ” seger says . each whale louse looks vaguely like a miniature crab , ranges from one - fifth to three - fifths of an inch in length , and has five pairs of sharp , hooked claws . about 7 , 500 whale lice live on a single whale .
for example , the differences between certain genes in whale lice groups suggest that the right whale separated into three distinct species five to six million years ago .
edit : wow ! thanks for the gold you mysterious bacon / louse loving friend < 3 who would have thunk my first reddit gold would have been about bacon . america .
bortolotto ga , danilewicz d , andriolo a , secchi er , zerbini an . whale , whale , everywhere : increasing abundance of western south atlantic humpback whales (
wow ! i ' m amazed . i knew a little about whale lice but never thought about their potential in looking at differences in whale populations . . .
i hope that ' s the case , but the picture looked like some of the flash underneath the lice ( louse ? ) was bloody . regardless , that ' s a nightmare .
“it is incredible how these creatures manage to live on such a harsh habitat , ” the researchers say . “we are still amazed . ” maybe this louse doesn’t need our pity after all .
whale was prolly like
fuck this tail itch
and beached itself . . .
one southern right whale crossed the equator 1 million to 2 million years ago , leaving evidence of the trip when its whale lice bred with those on north pacific right whales .
callahan cm . molecular systematics and population genetics of whale lice ( amphipoda : cyamidae ) living on gray whale islands . dissertation , humboldt state university . 2008 . p 54 .
man , it would suck to be a whale and have an itch that needs remedying .
couldnt find it but found this instead . group of people petting a baby gray whale .
yep , they just picked the whale up from the water to make a better photo .
though shaped very much like lice , the histriobdellidae are actually tiny annelids ( like leeches or earthworms ) who live a louse - like existence on the outer shells of crayfish , isopods and other crustaceans . while our lice have specially hooked claws for gripping hair , these louse worms have suckers for clinging to a smooth exoskeleton , and a powerful set of drilling jaws for getting at that tasty sea - bug blood .
the utah biologists extracted dna from whale lice , determined the sequence of the genetic components in a particular mitochondrial gene , and then built family trees to show the relationships among whale lice .
syncyamus aequus was the only louse species on the striped dolphins . and its numbers were sparse on these swift , streamlined hosts . only about a quarter of the dolphins in the study had lice , compared to 100 percent of whales in some surveys . and while one whale can have thousands of lice onboard , infected striped dolphins carried fewer than five lice on average . more than a third of infected dolphins carried only a single louse . “we expected low infection levels , ” the scientists say , “but not so low . ”
but in s . aequus , the researchers found , the opposite is true : females are bigger . the researchers suspect that’s because there’s no competition between males . in fact , the lice barely see each other at all . a male louse living on a striped dolphin is lucky if it meets even one female louse in its life . female lice may have evolved to be bigger so they can lay more eggs—assuming they ever find a mate .
the simplest explanation is that a single southern right whale crossed the equator and mingled with north pacific right whales . some of the abundant cyamus ovalis whale lice jumped from the southern whale to northern whales , but the less common cyamus erraticus , which lives mainly in genital areas , did not .
callosities , or dark callus - like material , are easily visible on the head of this right whale because they are covered by white - colored parasitic crustaceans named cyamids and nicknamed ' whale lice . '
i prefer my crabs being caught on the seafloor , not out of a whale ' s pussy .
“these are the original whale riders , ” says jon seger , a university of utah biology professor and the study’s principal author . “it’s a case of the whale riders telling us what the whales did . ”
this close - up photograph shows hundreds of tiny , light - colored cyamids , or ' whale lice , ' clinging to dark - colored callus - like material on the head of a right whale . university of utah biologists learned when separate species of right whales evolved by analyzing genetic material from the whale lice .
i want to scratch them off , high five my new whale buddy and ride off to adventure together .
north atlantic right whales have lower genetic diversity than southern ocean right whales . but the new study showed “the genetic diversity of whale lice is virtually as great for the north atlantic right whale as for the southern right whale , suggesting that historically ( but before whaling ) the north atlantic right whale population was comparable in size to that in the southern hemisphere , ” seger says . “this suggests that the reduced genetic diversity of north atlantic right whales happened recently , possibly due to whaling , not because the whale population was small even before whaling . ”
edit : but seriously , for some reason my brain thought the whale not being in the water was normal .
it ' s an odd error , considering you almost always hear them referred to plurally . if it were a picture of a single louse and it were titled lice , it wouldn ' t have been strange enough for me to be typing a comment like this .
that video was really touching . i cried a little when the whale started jumping out of the water happy as fuck .
an unusual stranding of a southern right whale calf is reported here . on january 17th , 2004 , a whale calf became stranded at praia de itaúna , saquarema , which is located on the east coast of the state of rio de janeiro , brazil , but it died shortly afterwards . the whale’s body was in a carcass state of geraci 1 ( fresh ) [
suggests that the calf might have interacted likely by chance with a humpback whale . thus , the high concentration of gravid females of
groch kr , palazzo jt jr , flores pac , adler fr , fabian me . recent rapid increases in the right whale (
rossi - santos m , santos - neto re , baracho cg . interspecific cetacean interactions during the breeding season of humpback whale (
if it’s interesting that an elephant louse would have a long nose , certain lice that attack llamas and alpacas even happen to have long , thick necks . in this case , the neck allows them to reach through their host’s very thick and tangled hair to bite at the skin and suck blood .
right whales – which can reach 60 feet and 70 tons – were named because “they were the ‘right’ whale to kill , the first whale to be commercially hunted” 1 , 000 years ago off spain ; their blubber made their carcasses float for easy recovery , rowntree says .
edit : now that we know it ' s definitely not a whale being saved . have some cool videos i found along the way !
wow , i had no idea the colour of the callosities was actually due to thousands of whale lice . that comes directly under the heading of
seriously cool yet somehow disturbing
. that do the whale lice actually feed on ? i always assumed they were parasites of the whales , but surely that ' s a pretty heavy parasite load ? and why would the whale grow its own special microhabitat for its parasites ?
“whale researchers have dreamed for years of being able to ride with the whales and see the world they experience , ” says study co - author vicky rowntree , a university of utah research professor of biology and senior scientist at the ocean alliance / whale conservation institute in lincoln , mass . “whale lice have been doing it for millions of years , and can tell us things about the whales we can’t learn any other way . ”
when the whale came up beside him , though , hall reached out and dislodged a few whale lice—fingernail - size creatures that feed on dead skin—from the callosity around the whale ' s right eye . [ . . . ] but this whale had approached hall , and he intuitively and spontaneously reached out to her in a moment of discovery . as the lice scattered , the lumbering giant leaned into hall ' s touch , as if encouraging him to scratch harder . as he scratched the whale again , hall was overwhelmed with a single thought :
this can ' t be happening .
in the end , he and his colleagues captured some amazing images for their one - hour documentary ,
dolphins , whales , and us .
limited data from north pacific whale lice suggest right whales also were abundant there before whaling began , in line with early whaling records , rowntree says .
haney ta . a phylogenetic analysis of the whale - lice ( amphipoda : cyamidae ) . dissertation , university of charleston . 1999 . p 232 .
the animals are small , measuring roughly one - fifth to three - fifths of an inch ( one to two centimeters ) long . about 7 , 500 of these hitchhikers live on a single whale , making their colonies large enough to be visible as white patches on a whale ' s head and body .
a long time ago , i saw a video where a diver did that . i can ' t remember if it was lice or something else , but a diver sort of just did it on impulse , and the whale loved it . the whale instantly reacted , and started following the diver . so the diver proceeded to groom the whale for like half an hour . i wish i could find the video , but have tried searching for it more than once .
studying the parasites of whales and dolphins can help scientists answer questions about the whales and dolphins themselves . in 2005 , for instance , researchers studied the population histories of right whales by looking at the mitochondrial dna of their lice . in 2004 , after a southern right - whale calf stranded and died , researchers found that it was infected only with humpback - whale lice —a tantalizing hint that the whale calf might have been nursed by a female of a different species .
seger and rowntree , who are spouses , conducted the study with zofia “ada” kaliszewska , who graduated the university of utah and now is a harvard university graduate student ; wendy smith , a utah biology graduate student ; and 14 co - authors who collected whale lice or whale genetic material from beached whales around the world .
, in other words a crustacean . whale lice specifically are in the family cyamidae consists of 35 + species in seven genera and are collectively known as cyamids .
a dead southern right whale is stranded on the beach at puerto madryn , argentina , after it suffered a fatal blow when a ship propeller hit the animal behind its blowholes . the white coloring of the distinctive markings on the animal ' s head comes from dense colonies of small parasites known as cyamids or ' whale lice . ' strandings such as this provide scientists with their main source of whale lice , which are studied to provide clues to the evolution of the whales they ride .
whale , any of the larger species of aquatic mammals belonging to the order cetacea . the term whale can be used in reference to any cetacean , including porpoises and dolphins , but in general it is applied to those more than 3 metres ( 10 feet ) long . an exception is the 2 . 7 - metre dwarf…
edit : now that we know the video we ' re looking for is definitely not a whale being saved . enjoy these cool videos i found along the way !
so crotch crickets would be more appropriate than crabs to describe pubic lice , since crabs require water to breathe ? . . . and the picture has whale crabs ?
cyamids were nicknamed “whale lice” by early whalers , who often were infested with real head and body lice . whale lice are related to crabs and shrimp , and cling to the whales’ raised , callus - like patches of skin – named callosities – the grooves and pits between callosities , and also to skin in slits that cover mammary glands and genitals . the white whale lice covering the callosities create distinct markings that stand out against the whales’ dark skin , making it possible for scientists to distinguish individual whales .
whale lice breathe by means of two pairs of external gills , which are much reduced in size in early juvenile stages . it has been reported that they can live for up to 3 days out of an aquatic environment , such as on a stranded whale , suggesting that they can also rely on integumentary respiration ( leung , 1976 ) .
the cyamids were named
whale lice
by early whalers in reference to their own head and body lice . mmmmm fun ! while not actual lice , they behave similarly in a few key ways . cyamids have no free swimming stage and spend their entire life on one species of whales , transferring from whale to whale through intimate contact , primarily between a mother and it ' s calf . they were recently used , similarly to their lice namesakes , to track the population structure and evolution of their hosts .
though they look like a cross between a flea and a louse , platypsyllus are actually just highly unusual beetles ( as are fireflies , ladybugs and weevils ) . they are found living solely in the nests and fur of beavers , but cause no harm at all . feeding on dirt , dead skin flakes and even other bugs , these insects are generally considered commensal or may even be beneficial .
i think that they eat dead skin or sloughing off skin , i ' m not sure they actually hurt them . i know they feed off algae on the whale too .
margolis l , mcdonald te , bousfield el . the whale - lice ( amphipoda : cyamidae ) of the northeastern pacific region . amphipacifica ii . 2000 ; 4 : 63–117 .
haematomyzus elephantis is a true louse , a parasite like the head lice that attack us humans , but can be found only on the bodies of elephants . unusual among most lice , the jaws of these insects are on the end of long , thin snouts – almost like the trunks of their hosts . it’s far from coincidence , as the long snoot is used to penetrate an elephant’s thick , wrinkled hide .
whale lice don ' t live freely in the waterthey spend their entire lives on whales . the lice move from mother to calf and among whales in close contact with each other .
in an earlier post , i joked ( well half joked ) about the need to save the whale lice , even if you don ' t care about the right whales . i thought today i would expand on the brief comment about the lice and their special relationship with whale and how they can actually tell us about the populations of right whales and their evolution .
margolis l . notes on the morphology , taxonomy and synonymy of several species of whale lice ( cyamidae : amphipoda ) . j fish res board can . 1955 ; 12 : 121–33 .
pfeiffer cj . whale lice . in : perrin wf , würsig p , thewissen jgm , editors . encyclopedia of marine mammals . san diego : academic press ; 2002 . p . 1302–5 .
right whales always swim with passengers aboard : small benign parasites called cyamids . the creatures , which 19th - century whalers nicknamed
whale lice ,
have coexisted with the whales for millennia .
whale lice infest only whales , just as bird lice infest only birds and human lice infest only people . recent genetic studies of head and body lice have revealed details of human evolution . whale lice hang onto the whales throughout their lives , so they share a common ecological and evolutionary history with the whales . genes from whale lice actually may reveal more about the whales than the whales’ own genes do , because the parasites are much more abundant and reproduce more often than whales . as a result , the parasites have much greater genetic diversity and scientists have more mutations to track .
you’ve probably never heard of the malaysian hairless bulldog bat , one of the world’s rarest bat species . even more unusual , this oddball mammal is home to an equally oddball bug : a tiny , louse - sized earwig living in the folds of the bat’s naked , wrinkly body - where it is thought to feed on collected skin oils or other secretions . we aren’t really sure , because we barely know much about these bizarre bats themselves .
the new study revealed a fascinating detail . about 1 million to 2 million years ago , at least one southern right whale – and no more than a few – managed to cross the equator and join other right whales in the north pacific . the biologists reached that conclusion because they found that cyamus ovalis whale lice in the north pacific are much more closely related genetically to southern cyamus ovalis than either population is to those in the north atlantic . another species , cyamus erraticus , does not show such a pattern ; those whale lice in all three oceans are all more distantly related .
c . monodontis and c . no - dosns . table 1 summarizes the cetacean distribution of cyamids . cyamids are unable to swim freely in the sea or from whale to whale at any of their developmental stages . accordingly , they die if they lose their foothold on their host , but can be transferred from cetacean mother to calf or during cetacean mating . although details on the number of juvenile stages that occur prior to adulthood are not yet established for cyamids , leung ( 1976 ) has estimated that at least seven to eight instar stages exist for c . scammoni of the gray whale .
a whale can carry up to 9 tons of barnacles that set through the whales skin and into its fat ( blubber ) , and the barnacles secrete a substance that stops the whale ' s immune system from reacting or making inflammation at the ' wound ' site . i wonder if that substance from the barnacles would have use in organ transplant medicine , or allergy therapy for a couple of examples ?
fun fact ! if you look at a picture of a right whale , all the white spots are actually raised patches called callosities covered in whale lice . trackers use these patches to identify individuals , and they have done genetic studies on these lice to determine how closely related different populations are . these lice are passed through contact , so you can tell how long populations have been divergent ! cool stuff .
one of my professors is actually one of the preeminent authorities on whale lice populations ( it ' s surprisingly interesting ) . he and his wife constantly follow right whales as part of their ongoing research .
through their work and current genomic techniques they were able to determine that exactly one male southern right whale passed the equator thousands of years ago and bred with the northern right whales - usually separate populations .
leung ym . an illustrated key to the species of whale - lice ( amphipoda : cyamidae ) , ectoparasites of cetacea , with a guide to the literature . crustaceana . 1967 ; 12 : 279–91 .
an aerial photograph of two right whales in the atlantic ocean offshore from argentina shows the distinctive white markings created by small crustaceans - - known as cyamids or ' whale lice ' - - that attach themselves to callus - like material on the whales ' heads . university of utah researchers learned about the evolution of different species of right whales by studying the genes of the ' whale lice ' that ride the whales .
the dolphins’ lice were smaller than lice living on whales . and they had found only a few places to tuck their little bodies into . most lice were around dolphins’ blowholes , with some around their eyes or in the corners of their mouths . this was another sharp contrast to whales , where lice find abundant habitats . in addition to a whale’s skin folds , lice may live around the rough , whitish patches called callosities , or in a whale’s throat grooves , or even in the spaces between barnacles attached to a whale’s skin . whales can carry three or more species of lice at once , each carving out its own territory .
however , if they only live on whales , then i guess i must have been much closer to a whale than i thought . i could hear them , but didn ' t see any surfacing anywhere nearby .
] , which increases the chance of a causal encounter between these two baleen species . while the origin of the cyamid movement onto the right whale calf cannot be known , it is indicative of the first movement of
it’s hard to muster sympathy for lice . most of the parasites seem to be doing fine—living , feeding and multiplying on their hapless hosts . but lice that live on dolphins have it tough . their hosts are slippery and fast - moving ; the lice spend their lonely lives clinging tight and hoping to meet just one other louse they can mate with . and while these parasites can teach scientists about the evolution and behavior of ocean mammals , it’s not clear how the lice themselves survive at all .
morphological diagnostic features of cyamus boopis found in the southern right whale gemm - lagos −0051 . a shape of gnatopod 2 ; b shape of accessory gills ; c number of ventral acute processes on pereonites 5 , 6 and 7
if you catch a cod and pull it up , they quickly scurry from the ass or gills , and try to climb under the deck boards . bastards are tricky . the ones on that whale must not be very smart .
[ “whale rider” was a 2002 oscar - nominated film about the legend of an ancient maori chief who crossed the sea on the backs of whales , and a modern maori girl in new zealand who aspired to become the new chief . ]
university of utah biologists vicky rowntree , jon seger , wendy smith and zofia
ada
kaliszewska studied the genetics of parasites nicknamed
whale lice
to learn more about the evolution of endangered right whales , upon which the parasites ride .
that ' s it ! i remember that clearly now , that he was scratching around the whale ' s eye , and you can see the eye react . it was amazing . damn , i really want to find this documentary now .
believe it or not , these are actually beneficial to the whale as they eat the dead skin . a mother will actually rub on her calf when they are born to transfer her lice to it . look it up , that ' s facts motherfuckers .
today , morton is leading a bold quest to keep this marine paradise intact . in recent years , she’s noted with alarm that the killer whales , unlike the dolphins , are no longer visiting the broughton archipelago . the researcher strongly suspects that salmon hatcheries are at the root of the problem . surrounded by her team of university researchers , morton has documented the presence of a bacteria called “fish louse” , which attacks juvenile wild salmon . killer whales feed on wild salmon , as well as other species living in the archipelago , including eagles , grizzlies and wolves . this situation puts an entire marine ecosystem in peril .
the utah research focused on genes found in mitochondria – the power plants of cells – and that mutate at a high rate , acting like a clock to reveal when evolutionary events happened . the scientists calibrated the clock by comparing genes from whale lice with related snapping shrimp .
are the lice only found on the callosities ? i know other whales which don ' t have callosities have whale lice . . . are the lice themselves different in terms of attachment morphology ? i would think it is easier to attach onto a callosity than directly onto the skin .
5 - 25mm and they live in lesions , genital folds , ventral pleats , eyes . . . anywhere soft , moist and chewable . most are specific to a single whale species and they aren ' t true lice , they ' re crustaceans , closely related to some form of shrimp .
in the image above you can see the characteristic white and black rough patches known as callosities on the face of a right wale . the raised dark grey bits are indeed part of the whale . those are rough ridges that become sharper and harder . they are not really lice , but a
dolphin , any of the toothed whales belonging to the mammal family delphinidae ( oceanic dolphins ) as well as the families platanistidae and iniidae , the two that contain the river dolphins . of the nearly 40 species of dolphins in the delphinidae , 6 are commonly called whales , including the killer whale and the…
seger says : “the genetics of whale lice show conclusively that the three species of right whales have been isolated in the north pacific , north atlantic and southern hemisphere for about 5 million to 6 million years , ” with a possible range of error from 3 . 6 million to 9 . 9 million years .
sept . 14 , 2005 — university of utah biologists studied the genetics of “whale lice” – small crustaceans that are parasites on endangered “right whales” – and showed the giant whales split into three species 5 million to 6 million years ago , and that all three species probably were equally abundant before whaling reduced their numbers .
…family of amphipods ( cyamidae ) called whale lice routinely infest right , humpback , and gray whales and also occur opportunistically on most species of baleen and toothed whales , particularly around wounds . they appear to eat sloughed skin . another crustacean is clearly parasitic and is a member of the caligoid copepod genus pennella . …
oh , sorry . i should clarify in my post . i was originally looking for the video that / u / magnus _ maximus was describing . he let me know in a comment that it was definitely not a whale being saved and i reflected that in my edit . i ' ll change the wording . cheers
in 2005 a team of scientists published the results of their study of the population structure and evolution of right whales based on dna studies of the whales ' cyamids . the cyamid dna is in some ways more informative than the whales ' own dna as the cyamids complete many generation per whale generation and the population of the cyamids , especially
by studying the cyamid crustaceans jon seger and his team were able to provide another line of evidence that each oceanic basin population of right whales is in fact a distinct species . they also found four new species of right whale cyamids and that the number of right whales in each basin was higher than originally estimated for pre - commercial whaling populations .
the north atlantic and southern ocean populations however have apparently been fully isolated for several million years . this supports the view that the north atlantic , southern ocean and north pacific right whales have been isolated for millions of years and shouldbe considered separate species . in a gene tree for the right whale cyamids the three different nominal species clustered out as seven distinct species .
the five - year study , published in the october 2005 issue of the journal molecular ecology , is the first in which the genes of whale lice were used to track the genetic evolution of whales . they are not true lice , but instead are tiny crustaceans - named cyamids . the harmless parasites ride the whales their entire lives , so their evolution reflects the evolution of the whales .
a single right whale species diverged into three species – north atlantic , north pacific and southern ocean right whales – 5 million to 6 million years ago when movements of earth’s tectonic plates formed the isthmus of panama , separating the pacific and atlantic . that set up warm equatorial currents that kept most blubber - laden right whales from crossing the equator because they could not tolerate the warm waters .
the team collected cyamids from globally distributed right whale strandings and used variation in the mitochondrial coi gene to analyze the population structures of both the cyamids and by inference the right whales they inhabit . the first finding was that there was no obvious population structure within ocean basins . they also found high levels of haplotype diversity but low gene differentiation suggesting a large population with high transfer rate between individual whales .
“the main problem for whale lice is how to minimize the chances of being washed off , ” natalia fraija - fernández and francisco javier aznar , of the university of valencia in spain , told me over email . to dig in and hold on tight , the lice have evolved flattened bodies , sharp claws on their legs , and spiny bellies . they hunker down in skin folds and other relatively protected spots .
it’s not easy to study the lice that live on elusive underwater animals . researchers managed some studies back in the days of commercial whaling , fraija - fernández and aznar say . these days , scientists can study the parasites in countries where whaling is still legal , or try to grab them off of slow - moving whales in the wild . or they can wait for a whale to be stranded or accidentally killed .
i ' ve seen this one too . it ' s amazing , and makes me tear up every time . but the one i ' m talking about was definitely with a diver grooming the whale . i saw it in the mid - 90 ' s , on a nature documentary on tv , but can ' t remember any other details . i ' ve emailed a friend who saw it with me , and who might remember something .
] , new occurrences are possible . more information about the cyamid hosts’ ecology may yet be revealed by documentation of these ectoparasites . nonetheless , more effort should be given to collection and sampling of ectoparasites in any dead whale carcass . collections should be made from fresh carcasses , sampling all the specimens as possible in different areas of the host , and placed into preserved ethanol p . a . for further morphological and molecular studies . this may reveal other new cyamid occurrence and transfers .
no , i ' ve heard the story about the whale caught in rope / net and i diver cutting it free . in fact i think there was a video about it , maybe it was a ted talk . . . i remember the diver just trying to describe the emotion he thought he perceived in its eye before starting ( fear ) and during ( relief ) and after ( just looking at him in adoration ) while acknowledging that while people tend to anthropomorphize animals that he knew what he saw wasn ' t so simple .
diagnostic features were compared with eubalaena ’s typical whale - lice , and it differs from c . ovalis by the shape of accessory gills , which are larger and asymmetrical in the later species . cyamus boopis also presents a slender body compared to c . ovalis , however broader than c . gracilis . cyamus gracilis lacks acute ventral processes on the pereonites 5–7 , while c . boopis shows a 1 / 1 / 1 pairs of acute ventral processes arrangement on pereonites 5–7 , respectively , and c . erraticus presents a 2 / 2 / 1 arrangement . due to the cyamid succession in right whales , it was expected that the calf would host blooms of c . erraticus on its head , instead , the only species found was c . boopis .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
the highly endangered north atlantic and north pacific right whales once may have been as abundant as southern right whales , suggesting their reduced genetic diversity is due to whaling in recent centuries , not some longer - term , deadlier cause . that raises hope for the ultimate recovery of the north atlantic and north pacific species .
two of the three species of right whales are in danger of extinction . a recent study estimated only 350 remain in the north atlantic . rowntree says about 200 survive in the north pacific , while the southern hemisphere population of 8 , 000 to 10 , 000 whales is growing 7 percent per year and recovering from whaling .
when whaling began in the southern hemisphere in the 1700s , there were an estimated 40 , 000 to 150 , 000 right whales there , rowntree says .
small population size can be harmful because it is impossible to avoid inbreeding and an increased risk of genetic disease . the study raises hope for endangered northern hemisphere right whales by suggesting that their reduced genetic diversity is a relatively recent phenomenon and perhaps not as severe overall as it appears to be in the particular genes that were studied , seger says .
some 20 million years ago , north and south america were separated by deep seas , but 18 million years ago , undersea volcanism slowly began forming a volcanic island chain . by 3 million years ago , the chain formed solid land , the isthmus of panama , linking the two continents . by 5 million or 6 million years ago , the sea between the two continents was so shallow that whales could not swim between the north pacific and north atlantic , rowntree says . changing circulation patterns established warm currents that discouraged right whales from moving between southern and northern oceans .
“right whales have such thick blubber they can’t cross the equator , ” rowntree says . “the waters are too warm . they can’t shed heat . ”
that is consistent with previous studies of the right whales’ genes . one limited study suggested north atlantic right whales ( eubalaena glacialis ) and southern ( eubalaena australis ) right whales became distinct species 3 million to 12 million years ago . a more complete study suggested north pacific right whales ( eubalaena japonica ) diverged from southern right whales 4 . 4 million years ago , give or take 2 . 5 million years .
despite the barrier posed by warm water , climate has changed over the ages and “probably there were times when the equatorial waters weren’t as hot as they usually are , and some adventurous juvenile male crossed the equator , ” rowntree says .
the u has faculty and staff who can offer insight into human sex trafficking , campaign finance and salt lake city ' s mayoral race , pediatric eye exams , and red . john lewis ' upcoming visit to the u . the utah museum of fine arts is hosting a superhero mask workshop at the salt lake city public library . read more
horton , t . ; lowry , j . ; de broyer , c . ; bellan - santini , d . ; coleman , c . o . ; corbari , l . ; daneliya , m . ; dauvin , j - c . ; fišer , c . ; gasca , r . ; grabowski , m . ; guerra - garcía , j . m . ; hendrycks , e . ; hughes , l . ; jaume , d . ; jazdzewski , k . ; kim , y . - h . ; king , r . ; krapp - schickel , t . ; lecroy , s . ; lörz , a . - n . ; mamos , t . ; senna , a . r . ; serejo , c . ; sket , b . ; souza - filho , j . f . ; tandberg , a . h . ; thomas , j . ; thurston , m . ; vader , w . ; väinölä , r . ; vonk , r . ; white , k . ; zeidler , w . ( 2018 ) . world amphipoda database . cyamidae rafinesque , 1815 . accessed through : world register of marine species at : urltoken ; = 158318 on 2018 - 07 - 09
myers a . a . & lowry j . k . ( 2003 ) . a phylogeny and a new classification of the corophiidea leach , 1814 ( amphipoda ) . journal of crustacean biology , 23 : 443 - 485 . , available online at urltoken ; 2 [ details ]
( of cyamida ) myers a . a . & lowry j . k . ( 2003 ) . a phylogeny and a new classification of the corophiidea leach , 1814 ( amphipoda ) . journal of crustacean biology , 23 : 443 - 485 . , available online at urltoken ; 2 [ details ]
porpoise , ( family phocoenidae ) , specifically , any of seven species of toothed whales distinguishable from dolphins by their more compact build , generally smaller size ( maximum length about 2 metres , or 6 . 6 feet ) , and curved blunt snout with spatulate rather than conical teeth . in north america the name is sometimes applied to dolphins . …
amphipod , , any member of the invertebrate order amphipoda ( class crustacea ) inhabiting all parts of the sea , lakes , rivers , sand beaches , caves , and moist ( warm ) habitats on many tropical islands . marine amphipods have been found at depths of more than 9 , 100 m ( 30 , 000 feet ) . freshwater and marine…
we welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles . you can make it easier for us to review and , hopefully , publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind .
encyclopædia britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience .
you may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered .
at the bottom of the article , feel free to list any sources that support your changes , so that we can fully understand their context . ( internet urls are the best . )
your contribution may be further edited by our staff , and its publication is subject to our final approval . unfortunately , our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions .
our editors will review what you ' ve submitted , and if it meets our criteria , we ' ll add it to the article .
please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors , and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed .
dog , ( canis lupus familiaris ) , domestic mammal of the family canidae ( order carnivora ) . it is a subspecies…
horse , ( equus caballus ) , a hoofed , herbivorous mammal of the family equidae . it comprises a single species , …
animal , ( kingdom animalia ) , any of a group of multicellular eukaryotic organisms ( i . e . , as distinct from…
corrections ? updates ? omissions ? let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) .
if you prefer to suggest your own revision of the article , you can go to edit mode ( requires login ) .
our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article .
press j to jump to the feed . press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts
maybe their little arms ' only purpose was to scratch other t - rex ' s itches .
anyone else want to take a shovel and scrape them off ? wonder what that would be like . . .
edit : i saw this in the mid - 90 ' s , on tv . it was part of a nature documentary , but can ' t remember any other details about it . i ' ve emailed a friend who saw it too , and who i talked to about it a few years later . she has a better memory than i do , so hopefully , she ' ll remember some detail that will make it easier to search for .
edit 2 : / u / cripy below nailed it , that was definitely the documentary i saw , and it was awesome . now , can anyone find an old copy in a library and capture that scene ? i ' ll check toronto libraries .
i believe the documentary is called dolphins , whales , and us . it was released in 1991 so should have been airing in the mid 90s . unfortunately , i ' m unable to find it online .
i haven ' t been able to find the video you ' re talking about .
i don ' t know if they were freaked out about the orange sky and ash , but i think they could sense it since they were breathing in the same dirty air that i was . i feel like we all kinda just found solace in each other and the waves on a day that literally looked and smelled like the end of the world in san diego .
edit : thanks for the gold . i have no idea what i ' m supposed to do with it . . . but cool and thanks anyways ! : )
you ran into a tourist family of dolphins who were there to watch wild humans playing in water . they were disappointed on arrival by how empty it was until you showed up . so they took this opportunity to play with a lone human .
that was beautiful . it makes it all the better that i can picture it happening against a hell - like backdrop .
thanks . it was a really weird thing to be in . seriously not unlike
this is the end
with the smoke , ash , and little fires popping up all over the place . this pic was taken about 5 miles form where i was that day and is a good representation of what it looked like : urltoken
i surfed at scripps during the same time . off shore santa anna winds and a pretty decent swell made for a crazy experience . the sky was so dark with smoke you could look right into the blood red sun . the winds were carrying wisps of smoke and ash from the fires that were miles inland . didn ' t see the dolphins when i was out . but it was pretty memorable non - the - less . i guess thats all it takes to get some decent surf to yourself in sd . . . paddle out when all of so - cal is engulfed in flames .
i lived in alpine / descanso and worked at viejas during the cedar fire . by the time we received the mandatory evac notice it had jumped the freeway at harbison canyon and they were battling another fire on 8 towards el centro . we had a horse and a half dozen animals in a trailer with nowhere to go , ( had to leave a mare behind , because the helicopters spooked her too much to get her loaded and they only gave us 15 mins to leave . )
it was the most terrifying 72 hours of my life . the hardest part was walking into my home and trying to decide what i couldn ' t live without and then spending days not knowing if anything was left standing . thankfully we were spared . santa anas = instant anxiety attack , ever since .
two years later i met a young woman who had survived the cedar fire , only after enduring several degree burns on over 80 % of her body . what the tragedy took away cosmetically , she gained ten fold in spirit . one of the most positive and beautiful people i have ever met . i was humbled .
ah okay . hopefully you find it . that would be really neat to watch !
haha saw your post after i found the video . its the same incredible one ! i remember hearing the radiolab
amazing minds
on it and it gave me so many chills .
edit : there are many videos like it but the radiolab story on this one in particular made me smile .
that was the dolphin with fishing twine and a hook in its left fin i believe .


scrobipalpa suaedella , the sea-blite groundling , is a moth in the gelechiidae family .

it was described by richardson in 1893 .

it is found in libya , portugal , spain , france , italy , great britain , germany , corsica , sardinia , cyprus and turkey .

the wingspan is about 14 mm .

the ground colour of the forewings is ochreous , much marbled with darker and lighter shades of the same colour , and with slate coloured or dark greyish-ochreous scales , which are distributed more or less regularly in single rows along the veins .

the hindwings are pale fuscous , with the veins darker .

adults are on wing in june and july in western europe .

the larvae feed on suaeda vera and suaeda maritima .

they feed in a gallery amongst the flowers and leaves .

scrobipalpa suaedella

scrobipalpa suaedella ( sea - blite groundling ) - norfolk micro moths - the micro moths of norfolk .
scrobipalpa suaedella §1 , female , foulness , essex , 14 / 08 / 2011 , fw 6 . 1mm © chris lewis
one of the more readily identifiable scrobipalpa in its usual british form with an unmarked pale ochreous dorsal quarter to the forewing . the species can on occasions be quite variable when it may superficially resemble scrobipalpa instabilella , s . nitentella , s . samadensis or s . salcorniae ( formerly in the british isles thought to be s . salinella ) . s . ocellatella can also have a clear pale area at the base of the forewing but the central blackish spots are small and usually surrounded by a paler ring of colour . in s . suaedella these spots are variable and may resemble short black streaks , it does do not have an obvious ring of pale colour around these marks and lacks the warm brown patch from before the tornus to the middle of the wing . dissection is recommended if there is any doubt .
distributed around the south - east coasts of england and east anglia , this is a saltmarsh species , and is quite local .
ukmoths is built , run and maintained by ian kimber , with thanks to the many kind contributors who provide photos and information .
the ukmoths facebook page is a great place to post your identification queries . more often than not you ' ll get a positive id on most photos fairly quickly .
looking for a specific moth species ? enter just part of the name below .
procache : v317 render date : 2018 - 07 - 04 04 : 18 : 25 page render time : 0 . 2082s total w / procache : 0 . 2520s
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
probably our most common coastal gelechid being found virtually anywhere where shrubby sea - blite grows , sometimes in huge numbers . can be disturbed easily in daytime .
recorded in 8 ( 12 % ) of 69 10k squares . first recorded in 1874 . last recorded in 2017 .
underlying maps using digital map data © norfolk online lepidoptera archive - nola™ 2018 . © james wheeler - n o r f o l k m o t h s 2007 - 2018 . data © nola™ 2018
found in coastal saltmarshes along the south and east coast of england from dorset to norfolk . the distribution is patchy in south east england with few records from sussex and none from kent . there is a single 1962 record from jersey .
suaeda vera ( shrubby sea - blite ) , see plant distribution map , or occasionally on suaeda maritima ( anual sea - blite ) .
larva : in a silken gallery amongst the leaves and blossom generally at the tips of the shoots , occasionally on two shoots which are spun together . infested shoots become withered and turn brown . most larvae have been found from late april to mid - june but it has been recorded on annual sea - blite in august , a plant that is hardly visible in may and june .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 1 / / en
urltoken
nationally scarce ( na ) in saltmarshes along the coast of england from dorset to west norfolk . in hampshire and on the isle of wight there are old records from st helens on the island and cracknore hard in the south of the county , but since 1937 nothing was heard of the species in the region until when , in 2006 , two individuals were trapped within a ten day period at southsea and on portsea island . wingspan 13 - 15 mm . an infrequent form of
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
species which are estimated to occur within the range of 16 to 100 10km squares . ( subdivision into notable a and notable b is not always possible because there may be insufficient information available ) . superseded by nationally scarce , and therefore no longer in use .
we use cookies to optimise your experience when using this site . view our cookie policy and our new privacy notice .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 / / en
urltoken
the leading society for wildlife and geology enthusiasts in essex , england , uk .
calliphora vomitoria find out more . . . essex field club registered charity no 1113963 a - z page index
reproduction for study and non - profit use permitted , all other rights reserved .
copyright © essex field club 2006 - 2018 . developed by teknica ltd privacy policy terms of use cookies sales policy
ws : 13 - 15mm ; jun - jul ; shrubby sea - blite ( suaeda vera ) , annual sea - blite ( s . maritima ) ; ns - saltmarsh in se england from dorset to norfolk
discovered in salt - marshes at both hemley and shingle - street in hollesley duirng 1929 - 35 by dr . whittingham .
confirmed by dissection by jon clifton - orfordness , suffolk ( 24 . vii . 2010 ) © neil sherman
important - please note that the maps and accounts are provisional , subject to change and further update . the whole dataset still needs to go through the final verification process and it is likely that a very small number of records will not satisfy the present requirements and there are other records that have not been formally submitted . the information is for guidance only .
for the region , we have a total of 36 records from 18 sites . earliest record on file is in 1896 .