Rank Species | Subfamily Orthalicinae Scientific name Liguus fasciatus Higher classification Liguus | |
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Similar Liguus, Orthalicidae, Orthalicus, Liguus virgineus, Orthalicus reses | ||
Liguus fasciatus
Liguus fasciatus, the Liguus Tree Snails, also known as "living jewels", is a species of air-breathing land snail, a tree snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae.
Contents
Subspecies
In Florida this species includes the following 52 varieties or color forms, while in Cuba it is present in more than 70 varieties.
Description
Shells of Liguus fasciatus can reach a size of 42–68 millimetres (1.7–2.7 in). These polished shining shells, ranging from white to almost black, have whorls banded with many colors (chestnut, orange, yellow pink or green).
These tree snails feed on fungus and algae scraped from the bark of the host plants (mainly wild tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum), pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia) and Myrsine species). They can be found mainly from May through September, but they are active throughout the year.
Distribution
This species is the most widespread of all the Liguus. It occurs in the Caribbean Area (South Florida. Florida Keys, North coast of Cuba, Isle of Pines).
Habitat
These tree snails can be found in southern Florida on hammocks, tropical forest and shrubs habitats that are slightly higher in elevation than the surrounding area.