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Battlearia attramentaria (Asian mud snail)
Copyright © 2008
Mary Jo Adams
Although not native to the Pacific Northwest, this 2 inch (5 cm.) snail is present in large numbers along some Washington shorelines including Skagit County’s Padilla and Samish Bays. Look for it in high and middle intertidal zones of muddy bays where large populations of up to 1000 individuals /square meter are possible. The snail is gray in color with brown beading and has 8-9 whorls. It feeds on diatoms.
This species has also been known under the scientific names Batillaria cumingi, and B. zonalis. Other common names include screw shell, false cerith snail, zoned cerith, and tall-spired shell.
For further information about identifying this and other invasive species, see the Puget Sound Marine Invasive Species Volunteer Monitoring Program identification guide at http://vmp.bioe.orst.edu/Documents/mism_ID_Cards5print.pdf .
This
page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 11/5/08.
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