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Decollate Snail (Rumina decollata)

Rumina decollata

The Rumina decollata (Decollate Snail). It is an absolutely unique terrestrial snail, famous for two extraordinary characteristics that make it a very particular entity in malacological terrariums and a formidable agricultural ally: it is a ruthless carnivorous predator of other snails (and their eggs), and possesses a very particular 'decapitated' cylindrical shell. As it grows, in fact, the tip of the shell (apex) calcifies internally and then detaches cleanly (literally falling off), leaving the adult snail with a bizarre 'tube' shaped shell truncated at the rear end. An autochthonous and Mediterranean species, it is tiny (up to 1.5 inches), very resistant, a lover of the temperate climate and summer drought (goes into heavy aestivation). In the terrarium, or introduced in infested gardens, it acts as an inexorable ecological killer exterminating the infesting salad-eating snails (helix, slugs), almost completely ignoring healthy vegetables.

Taxonomy

Class:Gastropoda

Order:Stylommatophora

Family:Achatinidae

Subfamily:Rumininae

Genus:Rumina

Species:Rumina decollata

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Environment

Terrestrial

Humidity

40 - 75 %

Ambient temperature

20 °C

Day temperature

22 - 26 °C

Night temperature

18 - 20 °C

Substrate depth

>= 8 cm

UVB

None

Species description

Geographic Origin and Habitat: UF/IFAS identifies Rumina decollata as native to the Mediterranean area and widely introduced in the United States, Bermuda, and Mexico. The source describes it as ground-dwelling among leaves and sometimes burrowing in the upper one inch of soil.

Taxonomy and Genetics: UF/IFAS identifies Rumina decollata (Linnaeus 1758) as a decollate snail in the family Subulinidae. This recovery makes no genetic statement beyond the cited facts above.

Behaviour and Habits: The source describes ground-dwelling individuals that live among leaves and sometimes burrow in the upper one inch of soil.

Morphology and Sexual Dimorphism: UF/IFAS reports an adult shell up to 45 mm high, 14 mm in diameter, with four to seven retained whorls and pinkish-brown colour. This recovery makes no sex-comparison statement beyond the cited facts above.

Care, breeding and tankmates

Terrarium Setup: UC IPM describes the spiralling shell of Rumina decollata as pinkish brown, elongated and tapered toward the rear. This is natural-history identification, not captive setup guidance.

Lighting and Heating: This recovery does not formulate a datum on lighting or heating beyond the facts cited above.

Humidity and Hydration: This recovery does not formulate a datum on humidity or hydration beyond the facts cited above.

Feeding and Supplementation: UC IPM lists various snail and slug species, especially brown garden snail, as hosts or prey. This is documented natural predator-prey information, not a captive feeding or supplementation protocol.

Compatibility and Coexistence: The documented predator-prey fact is natural history and is not a compatibility or cohabitation recommendation.

Health and Common Diseases: This recovery does not formulate a datum on health or common diseases beyond the facts cited above.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

This species originates from: Bacino del Mediterraneo (Giardini temperati, macchia mediterranea arida, pietraie assolate e zone urbane dal Portogallo all'Italia e Nord Africa).

Origin

Cosmopolitan or introducedCentral America and CaribbeanNorth AmericaAfrica and MadagascarEurope, Mediterranean, and West Asia

Terrestrial invertebrate profile

Diet: No verified data available
Life expectancy: No verified data available
Adult size: 4.5 cm
Lifestyle/Microhabitat: No verified data available
Activity cycle: No verified data available
Sociality: No verified data available
Reproduction: No verified data available
Venom level: No verified data available
Handling tolerance: No verified data available
Brumation: No verified data available
Molting: No verified data available

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.

Related species

Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.

Variants and close relatives

Same atlas type, nearby scientific identity, genus, or family.

Recommended companions

Compatible cards from coherent ecosystems with matching parameters.

Similar care

Cards with similar requirements, difficulty, habitat, and husbandry profile.

Species description

Care, breeding and tankmates

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Origin

Terrestrial invertebrate profile

Image gallery

Related species

Variants and close relatives

Giant Ghana Snail (Achatina achatina)

Unicorn Snail (Subulina octona)

Giant African Land Snail (Lissachatina fulica)

Giant African Land Snail (Lissachatina fulica)

Recommended companions

Gray Tree Frog

Cope's Gray Tree Frog

Fowler's Toad

Eastern Spadefoot Toad

Similar care

Powder Isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus)

Armadillo Isopod (Armadillo officinalis)

Clown Isopod (Armadillidium klugii) (Dubrovnik)

Clown Isopod (Armadillidium klugii)