Present status of the giant african land snail Achatina fulica Bowdich in Kolkata (Calcutta), India
2002
Raut, S.K. (University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata-700 019 (India). Ecology and Ethnology Lab.)
In Feb 1847, W.H. Benson introduced the giant African land snail Achatina fulica in Kolkata (Calcutta). Since then, being a native of Africa (Kenya), it is thriving well in Kolkata. It is therefore, a question whether the said snail species has attained the status of an endemic gastropod species of Kolkata or not. Accordingly, an attempt was made during the period of last four years, 1998-2001, to note the association of this snail species developed with the biota of Kolkata, and the findings are presented. Surveys were conducted to note the association of A. fulica with the biota of Kolkata at regular intervals in different times of the study years. Due attention was given to note the structure and density of A. fulica occuring in different parts of Kolkata. It is revealed that the snail A. filica is successful to occupy all possible niches in Kolkata. The population structure and density varied to a great extent from time to time in respect to the environmental conditions of the areas concerned. The aged individuals are the determining factor whether the giant snail population would occur in a garden in future or not. Accordingly, the interacting effects in respect to the biota of Kolkata are flexible. The life style of this snail species is very much parallel to the land gastropod species occuring in Kolkata. It seems that the snail A. fulica is an endemic fauna of Kolkata and the introduced-evolved problems nowadays, are very much theoretical
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