Mediterranean Green Snail (Cantareus apertus)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda

Sub-order: Pulmonata

Family: Helicidae

Genus: Cantareus

Species: apertus

Not native to Australia

In the 1980s this introduced pest snail was found infesting over 350 hectares of market gardens, suburban gardens and neighbouring bush areas near Perth. It attacks a wide range of plants, including most leafy vegetables, cereal crops, pasture grasses and native plants.

Maximum size 10-12cm
Established in Western Australia with its origin originally from Southern Europe and North Africa. There, it is typically found in rainforests.

Also known as Green Snail (Helix aperta)