The feeding behaviour of Rumina decollata (Subulinidae: Gastropoda) raises questions about its efficacy as a biological control agent for Cornu aspersum (Helicidae: Gastropoda)
2016
Mc Donnell, Rory | Santangelo, Rico | Paine, Tim | Hoddle, Mark
The facultative predatory snail Rumina decollata (L.) has been used as a biological control agent for Cornu aspersum (Müller) in Californian citrus orchards for almost half a century despite there being little laboratory and field evidence of its efficacy. We have demonstrated that R. decollata can only successfully kill C. aspersum that are <13 mm (shell diameter) and if given a choice between a known food plant (carrot roots) and C. aspersum within this vulnerable size range, the majority of R. decollata (∼93%) chose carrots. Adult R. decollata will feed on C. aspersum eggs and mean total consumption per individual was ∼3 eggs over a 7-day period. These experimental results support previous anecdotal suggestions that R. decollata may not be an effective snail predator.
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