Garden snail

Cornu aspersum · The garden snail is a common land snail native to the Mediterranean region that has spread to temperate zones around the world.

Also called Brown garden snail, Common garden snail, European brown snail.

Garden snail
Photo: Zachi Evenor, CC BY 2.0
Garden snail
Photo: Matthew T Rader, https://matthewtrader.com, CC BY-SA 4.0
Garden snail
Photo: Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumMollusca
ClassGastropoda
OrderStylommatophora
FamilyHelicidae
GenusCornu
SpeciesCornu aspersum

Where it lives

Native to the Mediterranean and western Europe; now on every continent but Antarctica.

Fun facts

  • Garden snails are hermaphrodites, making both male and female cells, and during a mating session of several hours two snails swap sperm.
  • Garden snails stab a calcite spine called a love dart into their mating partner.
  • Sperm received during mating can stay viable inside a garden snail for 4 years.
  • When injured or badly irritated, a garden snail makes a defensive froth of mucus that can overwhelm small ants.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).