The Anguispira alternata, or flamed tigersnail are best known for their unique patterned shells. The A. Alternatas shell is like a pinwheel of red on a pale yellow backround. Alternatas shell can be as big as 40m x 10m. Altanatas are part of a family with heavily-ridged shells. If you were ever touched a alternatas shell you would feel the smooth ridges (or shell ribs), of the flamed tigersnail. The A. alternates body is approximately 20 mm wide, and 10 mm tall as full size.

Like most snails, alterantas do not have eyes. Instead these snails have a type of antenna on their head, that allow them to sense their surroundings. Also most snails, like alternatas use the trail of mucus they leave behind them when they move around as a “eye”, or as a message to other snails.

A. Alternatas feed on almost anything they can find. Alternatas of forest floors eat things such as deer scat, but those of city street basically eat garbage. A. Alternatas are located in several eastern states such as Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Maine, and Maryland. These snails can be found around logs, rocks, vacant lots, railroad tracks, and roadsides. Alternatas are often nocturnal, found on trees eating algae that grows on the trunks.

The Anguispira alternate have predators too, just like any other snail. Animals such as crows prey upon this slow creature. But alternatas are not on the endangered species list, because they be found almost every where in the Eastern states. Anguispira alternatas are very interesting gastropods, and are important to the animal kingdom.

Author: Savanna E

Published: 052008

Sources: http://snailstales.blogspot.com/2007/02/anguispira -alternatas-angulata.html http://www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/palandsnails/accounts/an_alte.html Photo Credit: JWA http://www.msu.edu/~atkinso9/gallery.html