Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) Florida Applesnail Floater

    Continuing observations indicate that Pomacea paludosa is able to float at will and adjust its buoyancy to suit the conditions at hand. However, upon its death the species becomes buoyant and floats to the surface where it is often found as pictured below with operculum intact. Searching the down-wind side of a lake can produce a bonanza of specimens. Rendering a "sniff test" will readily let you determine whether the specimen is dead or alive as nothing smells quite as foul as a rotting Applesnail.

Lake Oneida, University of North Florida Campus, Duval Co., Florida 4/12/2005