Top Shell Whelk
NameTop Shell Whelk
Scientific NamePomacea canaliculata
Common NameChanneled Apple Snail (also known as Top Shell Whelk, though this is likely a misnomer as it is not a true whelk or top shell)
FamilyAmpullariidae
GenusPomacea
Speciescanaliculata
Geographic DistributionNative to tropical and subtropical South America, but widely introduced and invasive in many parts of the world, including Asia, North America, and parts of Europe and Africa.
Habitatfreshwater
Shell Shapeconical
Average Size (mm)Typically ranges from 40 to 70 mm in height, but can grow up to 150 mm in some regions.
Identifying FeaturesGlobose shell shape, low spire, large and wide aperture, and the characteristic purplish-pink interior of the aperture. They possess both a gill and a lung, allowing them to breathe underwater and air. A prominent respiratory siphon is often extended when active. The operculum is corneous and concentric.
Raritycommon
Author CitationLamarck, 1819
Description
Three shells of a freshwater snail, likely an apple snail species, characterized by their globose to ovate-conical shape. The shells exhibit a relatively low spire and a large, wide aperture. The exterior color is a dull brownish-pink to reddish-brown, with some visible growth lines and minor surface irregularities. The interior of the aperture is strikingly colored with shades of purplish-pink, fading to lighter tones towards the columella. One shell shows a glimpse of a dark, possibly greenish, operculum.
