Ovachlamys fulgens

The type locality for this species is Ryukyu Islands (Loo-Choo Islands).^[2] The type specimens are stored in the Florida Museum of Natural History.^[3]

The snail is thought to be originally from the Ryukyu Islands.^[4]

Ovachlamys fulgens has spread to various countries, most probably accidentally introduced with the orchid trade.^[5] Non-indigenous distribution of Ovachlamys fulgens include:

Americas:

• Costa Rica^[3][4] The most frequent non-indigenous distribution has this species in Costa Rica.^[5]
• USA:
  • Miami-Dade County, Florida - it has been reported since 2003, but its wide distribution in the areas sampled strongly indicates that it has been established in southern Florida for some time.^[5]
  • Broward County, Florida^[4][6] - it has been reported since 2003.^[5]
• Trinidad^[4][5] and Tobago^[5]
• Colombia^[5]
• Brazil - since 2015^[7]

Pacific:

• Hawaii^[5]

Several Southeast Asian countries:

• Thailand^[5]
• Singapore^[5]

This species is already established in the US, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore, it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.^[8]

The shell of this species is perforate, trochoid, thin, shining, pellucid and dark corneous,^[2]with a depressed spire.^[2] The apex is obtuse.^[2] Sutures are linear and margined.^[2] The shell has four whorls, that are increasing rather suddenly.^[2] The last whorl is convex and a little inflated and it is twice as wide as the penultimate whorl.^[2] Whorls are finely striated, decussated by microscopic spiral lines.^[2] The last whorl is not descending and it is slightly excavated in the umbilical region.^[2]

The aperture is slightly oblique and lunate.^[2] The peristome is thin, straight, and acute.^[2] The margins of the aperture are distant and sub-parallel, and the columellar margin is a little reflected and nearly covering the very narrow umbilical perforation.^[2]

The width of the shell is 6–7 mm^[2] and the height of the shell is 4,5 mm.^[2]

These snails are sometimes called "jumping snails" because the tail is modified with a caudal horn and the posterior part of the foot acts as a catapult to push off from contiguous substrates, allowing the snail to suddenly move several inches.^[4]

The habitats of Ovachlamys fulgens include pastures and crop fields with moisture and with deep leaf litter cover.^[3] For example, habitats with Yucca guatemalensis provide good conditions for this species.^[3] The snails are mostly found in soil litter and on plants up to 8 feet in height in areas of secondary growth and tree plantations.^[4] The ideal collection time is after rainfall.^[4]

This species is considered an important orchid pest.^[4] It is phytophagous^[5] and is reported to attack a wide variety of horticultural plants, but the snails are mostly found among soil litter and become dormant during dry periods.^[4] It has been found on avocado, mango, Heliconia and Dracaena.^[4] Leaves of the avocado can be also used to raise juveniles in lab settings.^[9]

Little scientific data has been gathered on the biology of this species.^[4]

Individuals of Ovachlamys fulgens can lay eggs at the age of 42 days and are considered mature when their shell width reaches 5.12 mm.^[9] There is no need for the snails to mate in order to lay eggs and for successful reproduction.^[9] Eggs are laid in clutches of three in soil or leaf litter where they absorb more water from the environment.^[9]

The lifespan of Ovachlamys fulgens is 9 months in lab settings.^[9]