EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Striped Jungle Snail of the Congo

Terrestrial snail (Limicolaria cf. subconica), Family Achatinidae
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

Explanation:  I discovered this beautiful but easily-overlooked land snail in the jungle understory in the heart of the Congo River Basin in central tropical Africa.  I can find no common name for this mollusk, so I hereby dub it the "Striped Jungle Snail."

Various species of this genus (Limicolaria) are found in, and have been collected from, parts of central Africa.  One major collection expedition that reported this species from central Africa was conducted during 1909-1915.  

Interestingly, in the photo above, look at how its vertical stripes seem to mimic those of the tree on which it is clinging.  I have not found any information or studies of the possible camouflage adaptation of this snail.   

Information:
     Pilsbry, Henry A.  1919.  A review of the land mollusks of the Belgian Congo chiefly based on the collections of the American Museum Congo Expedition, 1909-1915.  Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, New York.  Volume XL.  370 pp.