Roadside Drainage Ditch On Imeson Road, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida

      While exploring for terrestrial mollusks in northwestern Duval County on 3/8/2010, a population of Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) [Florida Applesnail] was discovered in a roadside drainage ditch along the west side of Imeson Road several hundred yards north of Pritchard Road (GPS: 3022.453N 08146.230W - WGS-84 Datum). The specimens found, which included both empty shells and living snails, were stunted as a result of the marginal habitat in which they resided. During a follow-up visit to the area on 3/17/2010, another Pomacea population was discovered in a roadside drainage ditch on the east side of Imeson Road just south of Pritchard Road. A pair of empty Pomacea shells as well as several egg clutches were seen. There are many similar locations in this area of the county and it appears likely that other Pomacea populations are present.

Drainage ditch looking north along Imeson Road