Euglandina rosea (Férussac, 1821) Short Rotund Population

    During a visit to the beach near the park entrance at Little Talbot Island State Park, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida on 3/11/2020 the remains of an apparent short rotund Euglandina rosea population was discovered in the sand dunes within a hundred yards of the open Atlantic beach. A series of six empty shells (two pictured immediately below) exhibiting the same shape were found. Previously during late January of this year a pair of empty faded Euglandina shells were found in the dunes on the extreme southern part of the island over a mile away from where the illustrated pair were discovered. In a follow-up visit to that southern area of the park on 3/15/2020, an additional 20 empty Euglandina shells were found in the dunes as well as a single live juvenile specimen. This group exhibited more diversity in regards to size and shape than those found previously. The presence of the living juvenile proves that a breeding Euglandina population is present in the dune habitat on at least the southern end of the island and likely the entire island where empty shells have thus far been found (bottom two thirds of the park beach).

    How the Euglandina manage to survive in this arid, blisteringly hot habitat devoid of moisture other than morning dew and rain is a mystery. Additionally, very few potential prey snails are present and appear to be limited to Polygyra cereolus (Mühlfeld, 1818) Southern Flatcoil, Praticolella jejuna (Say, 1821), Florida Scrubsnail and Succinea campestris Say, 1818 Crinkled Ambersnail - the latter being the most common.

Specimen illustrated below measures 29 mm.

The group collected on 3/15/2020. The largest measured about 55 mm.

Living juvenile Euglandina found on 3/15/2020

Dunes at Little Talbot Island State Park 7/29/2003