Zachrysia provisoria (L. Pfeiffer, 1858) Garden Zachrysia - Page Two

    The specimen pictured below is the third known empty Zachrysia shell to have been found in northeast Florida. Previously, a specimen was found in a Duval County plant nursery by Joel Wooster  (obviously shipped in from south Florida with ornamental plants) and an additional specimen was found in the roadside swale along South Fletcher Avenue on Amelia Island, Nassau County by Harry G. Lee. At the present time (September, 2011) there is no evidence to confirm that the species is currently living in northeast Florida and it appears unlikely that they could survive the cold northeast Florida winters.

    Charles Torrey Simpson (b. 1846, d. 1932) deliberately introduced several species of exotic land snails from Bimini and Cuba to his property in Lemon City, Dade Co., Florida, including Zachrysia provisoria (L. Pfeiffer, 1858), which was “completely established” by 20 April, 1918 (Clapp, 1919). Auffenberg and Stange (1999; 2004) recorded this species from Broward, Collier, Dade, Hillsborough, Monroe, Palm Beach, and Pinellas counties, and at present it is commonly encountered in residential gardens on Sanibel Island, Lee Co. and has been spreading across the island over the past ten or more years (Anne Joffe, pers. comm., 17 Feb., 2007). More recently, it has appeared to have overwintered in Ocala, Marion Co. (John Slapcinsky, pers. comm., 20 Sept., 2011). 

Auffenberg, K.A. and L.A. Stange, 1999, 2004. Camaenidae (snails) of Florida Zachrysia provisoria, Caracolus marginellus (Mollusca: Pulmonata). EENY-118 DPI Entomology Circular No. 356, one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. November 1999; revised May 2004. Last accessed 20 Sept., 2011.

Clapp, G.H., 1919. Cuban mollusks colonized in Florida. The Nautilus 32(3): 104-105. Jan.

   

    In wrack line of drainage ditch after heavy rain, adjacent to 1727 Debutante Drive, Jacksonville, Duval Co., Florida 9/20/2011 (28.8 mm). Collected by Bill Frank.

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