Theba (Helix) pisana, Müller 1774

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Ces Theba pisana vivent le long du bassin méditerranéen dans des zones plutôt arides. Ceux-çi viennent d' une aire d' autoroute espagnole (E 15) quelconque (08/2011). Les ''lives'' (en hibernation durant la période sèche) sur leur poteau sont celles que vous voyez mortes. Celui sur le cactus est toujours vivant, sur ma table basse à Paris, plutôt actif la nuit. Appelé aussi ''Caragouille rosé'', on en trouve un peu partout en France dans les zones sèches s' il ne gèle pas trop fort. Il s' est répandu à travers le monde grace aux migrations humaines et au commerce: Angleterre, Hollande, Australie, Argentine, Bermudes, Californie...... Taille: 14/16 mm.

These Theba pisana (White gardensnail) live along the Mediterranean zone in areas arid. These come in a rest area of any Spanish motorway (E 15) (08/2011). The ''lives'' (in hibernation during the dry period) on their pilars are those that you saw dead. The one, on the cactus, is still alive, on my coffee table in Paris, rather active at night. Also called ''Caragouille rosé'' (in French), we find it everywhere in France in dry areas if it does not freeze too hard. IT is widespread throughout the world thanks to human migration and trade: UK, Holland, Australia, Argentina, Bermuda, California ...... Size: 14/16 mm.

From University of Florida

Theba pisana is native in the Mediterranean countries of Europe, Africa and the Mid-East (Pilsbry 1939, Burch 1960). The type locality is Italy. Its habitat in Europe is near the coasts of Belguim, southwestern England and south Wales, east and south Ireland, western France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain (where it is occasionally found in the inteerior) (Kerney and Cameron 1979, Schultes 2011). It has been introduced into the central Atlantic islands, Africa (Somaliland, South Africa), and southeastern Australia (including Tasmania) (Schultes 2011).

This snail was first noticed in North America in La Jolla, San Diego County, California, in 1914 (Chace 1915, Basinger 1923). It is established only in San Diego County, but has been reported both Los Angeles and Orange counties (Flint 2011). Mead (1971) reported an infestation in Los Angeles County in 1966 which was declared eradicated in 1972 (William A. Edwards, personal communication). The snails were found and identified in August 1985, in San Diego, California, at several localities in about a 10 square mile area. Hanna (1966) stated that T. pisana has been introduced into several eastern localities in the United States. However, there are no published records for North American populations outside of California. Theba pisana is also present in Bermuda, but has never been recorded from Florida.

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