Helix aspersa

Scientific classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Mollusca
• Class: Gastropoda
• Clade: Heterobranchia
• Informal group: Pulmonata
• clade: Eupulmonata
• clade: Stylommatophora
• Informal group: Sigmurethra
• Superfamily: Helicoidea
• Family: Helicidae
• Genus: Helix
• Species: H. aspersa

Binomial name

Helix aspersa (O. F. Muller, 1774)

    Helix aspersa, known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail, a pulmonate gastropod that is one of the best-known of all terrestrial molluscs. It has two recent synonyms: Cornu aspersum and Cantareus aspersus.

    Although this species is edible, it is often regarded as a pest in gardens, especially where it has been accidentally introduced.

    The life span of snails in the wild is on average two or three years. Many deaths are due to predators and parasites.

    The garden snail is a relatively fast snail. It has been observed to reach speeds of up to 1.3 cm/s.

Distribution

    This species is native to the Mediterranean region (including Egypt) and western Europe, from northwest Africa and Iberia east to Asia Minor, and north to the British Isles.