''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical

land snail A land snail is any of the numerous species of snail that live on land, as opposed to the sea snails and freshwater snails. ''Land snail'' is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells (those without shells are known as ...

s, terrestrial

pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an order, and before that a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includ ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=818098 on 2014-11-07

Distribution

There are some 200 species of Achatinidae in

Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

. Some species are kept as terrarium animals due to their size and colourful shells.

Shell description

Snails in this genus have medium to large shells which are ovate in shape and often colourfully streaked.

Species

Species within the genus ''Achatina'' include: * ''

Achatina achatina ''Achatina achatina'', commonly known as the giant African snail, also known as the giant tiger land snail, and gigantocochlea, is a species of large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae. ...

'' Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

or giant African snail, Agate Snail or Ghana Tiger Snail, from Western Africa (

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

through Nigeria) grows to be the largest land snail on Earth. * ''

Achatina ampullacea ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Böttger, 1910 *''

Achatina balteata ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Reeve, 1849 - Cameroon to Central Angola. * ''

Achatina bandeirana ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: Wor ...

'' Morelet, 1866 * ''

Achatina bayaona ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Morelet, 1866 * ''

Achatina bayoli ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Morelet, 1888 * ''

Achatina bisculpta ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' E. A. Smith, 1878 * ''

Achatina connollyi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Preston, 1912 * ''

Achatina coroca ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Bruggen, 1978 *''

Achatina craveni ''Achatina craveni'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae, the giant African snails. Distribution Distribution of ''Achatina craveni'' includes "between Zanzibar and Lake T ...

'' E. A. Smith, 1881 -

Congo Congo or The Congo may refer to either of two countries that border the Congo River in central Africa: * Democratic Republic of the Congo, the larger country to the southeast, capital Kinshasa, formerly known as Zaire, sometimes referred to a ...

, Tanzania. *''

Achatina dammarensis ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marine ...

'' Pfeiffer - Botswana * ''

Achatina ellioti ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: Wor ...

'' E. A. Smith, 1895 * ''

Achatina greyi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: Wor ...

'' Da Costa, 1907 * ''

Achatina hortensiae ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Morelet, 1866 *''

Achatina iostoma ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Pfeiffer, 1854 - Cameroon *''

Achatina iredalei ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: Wor ...

'' Preston, 1910 * ''

Achatina lechaptoisi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Ancey, 1894 * ''

Achatina obscura ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Da Costa, 1907 * ''

Achatina osborni ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Pilsbry, 1919 * ''

Achatina marginata ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Swainson, 1821Du Cane Godman, Frederick. ''Annali Del Museo Civico Di Storia Naturale "Giacomo Doria"'', Museo civico di storia naturale, Genoa, 1916, p. 245 *''

Achatina passargei ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' von Martens * '' Achatina pfeifferi'' Dunker, 1845 * ''

Achatina purpurea ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' (Gmelin, 1790) * ''

Achatina randabeli ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marin ...

'' Bourguignat, 1889 *'' Achatina schinziana'' Bousson - Botswana *''

Achatina schweinfurthi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' von Martens, 1873 - East Africa. *'' Achatina semisculpta'' Dunker, 1845 - East Africa *''

Achatina smithii ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Craven, 1881 *''

Achatina stuhlmanni ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' von Martens, 1892 - Uganda. *''

Achatina sylvatica ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Putzeys, 1898 - Congo *''

Achatina tavaresiana ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Morelet, 1866 - Angola *''

Achatina tincta ''Achatina tincta'' is a species of large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae, the giant African snails. Distribution This species is Endemism, endemic to the Democr ...

'' Reeve, 1842 - Congo, Angola *''

Achatina tracheia ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Connolly, 1929 - Southeast Africa * ''

Achatina transparens ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Marin ...

'' Da Costa, 1907 *''

Achatina variegata ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Roissy *''Achatina vignoniana'' Morelet, 1874: synonym of

Achatina (Tripachatina) vignoniana ''Achatina (Tripachatina) vignoniana'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae, the giant African snails. MolluscaBase (2018). Achatina (Tripachatina) vig ...

Morelet, 1874 * ''

Achatina virgulata ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Da Costa, 1907 * ''

Achatina welwitschi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Morelet, 1866 *''

Achatina weynsi ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Dautzenberg, 1891 - Congo * ''

Achatina wildemani ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Dautzenberg, 1907 incertae sedis: * ''

Achatina vassei ''Achatina vassei'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae, the giant African snails. Of ''‘Achatina’ vassei'' only the holotype was known up to 2010. The collector o ...

'' Germain, 1918 - The internal anatomy of this species is not known, and therefore the generic classification of ''‘Achatina’ vassei'' cannot be made. Bruggen A. C. van (2010). "A new record of ''‘Achatina’ vassei'' Germain, 1918 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Achatinidae) from Mozambique – an unsolved problem". ''

Zoologische Mededelingen ''Zoologische Mededelingen'' was a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal publishing papers and monographs on animal systematics. The publisher was the National Museum of Natural History Naturalis in the Netherlands. The first issue appeared ...

'' 84
HTM
. ;Species brought into synonymy: *''Achatina albopicta'' E. A. Smith, 1878 - along the coast of Kenya and Tanzania: synonym of ''

Lissachatina albopicta ''Lissachatina albopicta'', common name the African land snail, is a species of large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of in ...

'' (E. A. Smith, 1878) * ''Achatina allisa'' Reeve, 1849: synonym of ''

Lissachatina allisa Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (L. Reeve, 1849) * ''Achatina bloyeti'' Bourguignat, 1890: synonym of ''

Lissachatina bloyeti Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (Bourguignat, 1890) * ''Achatina capelloi'' Furtado, 1886: synonym of ''

Lissachatina capelloi Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (Furtado, 1886) * ''Achatina fulgurata Pfeiffer, 1853 - Senegal: synonym of ''

Achatina eleanorae ''Achatina'' is a genus of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing, tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.Bouchet, P. (2014). Achatina Lamarck, 1799. Accessed through: World Register of Mar ...

'' Mead, 1995 * ''Achatina drakensbergensis'' Melvill & Ponsonby, 1897 : synonym of '' Cochlitoma drakensbergensis'' (Melvill & Ponsonby, 1897) * ''Achatina eleanorae'' Mead, 1995: synonym of ''

Lissachatina eleanorae Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (Mead, 1995) * ''Achatina fulica'' Bowdich, 1822 or giant East African snail from Eastern Africa is a serious pest in the many tropical countries where it has been introduced, and is listed as an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

by some governments: synonym of ''

Lissachatina fulica ''Lissachatina fulica'' is a species of large land snail that belongs in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. It is also known as the Giant African land snail.Lissachatina glaucina Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (E. A. Smith, 1899) * ''Achatina glutinosa'' Pfeiffer, 1854 - Mozambique: synonym of ''

Lissachatina glutinosa ''Lissachatina glutinosa'', common name the African land snail, is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of inverte ...

'' (L. Pfeiffer, 1854) * ''Achatina gundlachi'' L. Pfeiffer, 1850: synonym of ''

Geostilbia gundlachi ''Geostilbia'' is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Ferussaciidae.Bouchet, P. (2015). Geostilbia Crosse, 1867. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.ma ...

'' (L. Pfeiffer, 1850) * ''Achatina immaculata'' Lamarck, 1822 - Southeastern Africa: synonym of ''

Lissachatina immaculata ''Lissachatina immaculata'' is a species of very large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum ...

'' (Lamarck, 1822) * ''Achatina johnstoni'' E. A. Smith, 1899: synonym of ''

Lissachatina johnstoni Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (E. A. Smith, 1899) * ''Achatina monochromatica'' Pilsbry (Deprecated. Old historical synonym of ''Achatina achatina'' var. ''monochromatic'') * ''Achatina mulanjensis'' Crowley & Pain - Malawi: synonym of ''

Achatina immaculata ''Lissachatina immaculata'' is a species of very large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822). Accessed thr ...

'' Lamarck, 1822 (junior synonym) * ''Achatina nyikaensis'' Pilsbry, 1909 - Malawi: synonym of '' Bequaertina pintoi'' (Bourguignat, 1889) (junior synonym) * ''Achatina panthera'' Férussac, 1832 - Zimbabwe, Mauritius: synonym of ''Achatina immaculata'' Lamarck, 1822 * ''Achatina pellucida'' L. Pfeiffer, 1840: synonym of '' Blauneria heteroclita'' (Montagu, 1808) * ''Achatina reticulata'' Pfeiffer, 1845 - Zanzibar: synonym of ''

Lissachatina reticulata ''Lissachatina reticulata'' is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs ...

'' (L. Pfeiffer, 1845) * ''Achatina varicosa'' Pfeiffer, 1845 - South Africa: synonym of '' Cochlitoma varicosa'' (L. Pfeiffer, 1861) * ''Achatina zanzibarica'' Bourguignat, 1879 - Tanzania: synonym of ''

Lissachatina zanzibarica Lissachatina is a genus of air-breathing tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Lissachatina Bequaert, 1950. Accessed th ...

'' (Bourguignat, 1879) * ''Achatina zebra'' Bruguiere, 1792 - South Africa: synonym of ''

Cochlitoma zebra ''Cochlitoma zebra'' is a species of giant snail in the family Achatinidae. References Achatinidae Gastropods described in 1792 Taxa named by Jean Guillaume Bruguière {{Mollusk-stub ...

'' (Bruguière, 1792)

References

External links

AchatinidaeLand snails in captivity
{{Authority control Achatinidae Gastropod genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot