Helix aspersa
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Stylommatophora
Helicidae
  • General
  • Distribution
  • Impact
  • Management
  • Bibliography
  • Contact
Common name
European brown snail (English), brown garden snail (English)
Synonym
Cornu aspersum , Müller
Cantareus aspersus , Müller
Cryptomphalus aspersus , Müller
Similar species
Summary
Helix aspersa the brown garden snail, is a herbivorous land snail that is native to the United Kingdom and western Europe. It is also native to the countries along the borders of the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. It has been introduced to many places worldwide as food, by snail enthusiasts and accidentally attached to plant matter or freight. H. aspersa is a pest of gardens, orchards and nurseries, and is considered a serious pest in California. It is thought that H. aspersa may be a vector for Phytophthora citrophthora, which causes cankers on the branches of clementine cultivars (Citrus clementina).
Notes
Helix aspersa Müller is also referred to as Cantareus aspersus (Müller), Cryptomphalus aspersus (Müller) and Cornu aspersum (Müller).
Pathway
Snail hobbyists have imported this species to many parts of the world where is has subsequently become established. (Dekle & Fasulo 2008).

Principal source:

Compiler: IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) with support from the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP) project XOT603, a joint project with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment

Review:

Publication date: 2010-06-08

Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Helix aspersa. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=1638 on 30-04-2024.

General Impacts
Asides from being a pest in gardens, orchards and nurseries through herbivory, H. aspersa can also impact grassland species composition. For example, it was found that H. aspersa showed a preference for consuming the native grass Bromus carinatus, which is very rare. (Motheral & Orrock 2010).

It is also thought that H. aspersa may be a vector for the disease Phytophthora citrophthora, which causes the disease Phytophthora branch canker (PBC) in citrus in Spain. Symptoms of PBC include cankers on the branches of clementine cultivars (Citrus clementina). (Alvarez et al. 2009).

Management Info
There are multiple management techniques used for controlling H. aspersa. These include manual control, e.g. hand collection of individuals, creating barriers to restrict access to foliage; chemical control, e.g. carbamates, metal chelates and metaldehyde; and biological control - the predatory snail Rumina decollata has found to be an effective biological control agent in California. However, it has been found that molluscicides alone are not an effective method of controlling H. aspersa. (Barker & Watts 2002; Dekle & Fasulo 2008; Flint & Wilen 2009).

For more management information, please see the Integrated Pest Management page on Helix aspersa.

Countries (or multi-country features) with distribution records for Helix aspersa
NATIVE RANGE
  • albania
  • algeria
  • bosnia and herzegovina
  • bulgaria
  • croatia
  • egypt
  • france
  • georgia
  • greece
  • israel
  • italy
  • jordan
  • lebanon
  • libyan arab jamahiriya
  • montenegro
  • morocco
  • romania
  • russian federation
  • slovenia
  • spain
  • syrian arab republic
  • tunisia
  • turkey
  • ukraine
  • united kingdom
Informations on Helix aspersa has been recorded for the following locations. Click on the name for additional informations.
Lorem Ipsum
Location Status Invasiveness Occurrence Source
Details of Helix aspersa in information
Status
Invasiveness
Arrival date
Occurrence
Source
Introduction
Species notes for this location
Location note
Management notes for this location
Impact
Mechanism:
Outcome:
Ecosystem services:
Impact information
Asides from being a pest in gardens, orchards and nurseries through herbivory, H. aspersa can also impact grassland species composition. For example, it was found that H. aspersa showed a preference for consuming the native grass Bromus carinatus, which is very rare. (Motheral & Orrock 2010).

It is also thought that H. aspersa may be a vector for the disease Phytophthora citrophthora, which causes the disease Phytophthora branch canker (PBC) in citrus in Spain. Symptoms of PBC include cankers on the branches of clementine cultivars (Citrus clementina). (Alvarez et al. 2009).

Red List assessed species 0:
Locations
SPAIN
UNITED STATES
Mechanism
[1] Disease transmission
[2] Grazing/Herbivory/Browsing
Outcomes
[1] Environmental Ecosystem - Habitat
  • [1] Habitat degradation
[1] Environmental Species - Population
  • [1] Plant/animal health
Management information
There are multiple management techniques used for controlling H. aspersa. These include manual control, e.g. hand collection of individuals, creating barriers to restrict access to foliage; chemical control, e.g. carbamates, metal chelates and metaldehyde; and biological control - the predatory snail Rumina decollata has found to be an effective biological control agent in California. However, it has been found that molluscicides alone are not an effective method of controlling H. aspersa. (Barker & Watts 2002; Dekle & Fasulo 2008; Flint & Wilen 2009).

For more management information, please see the Integrated Pest Management page on Helix aspersa.

Locations
UNITED STATES
Management Category
Control
Bibliography
10 references found for Helix aspersa

Management information
Barker, M. Gary & Corinne Watts, 2002. Management of the invasive alien snail Cantareus aspersus on conservation land, DOC Science Internal Series 31.
Summary: Available from: http://192.206.154.93/upload/documents/science-and-technical/DSIS31.pdf [Accessed 22 June 2010]
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), 2009. Helix aspersa (M�ller) - European Brown Garden Snail
Summary: Available from: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pestrava/helasp/tech/helaspe.shtml [Accessed 22 June 2010]
Dekle, G. W. and T. R. Fasulo, 2008. Brown Garden Snail, Helix aspersa M�ller (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicidae). EENY-240 (IN396) (originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 83), one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: October 2001. Revised: August 2002. Reviewed: March 2008.
Summary: Available from: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN39600.pdf [Accessed 22 June 2010]
Flint, M. L. & C. A. Wilen, 2009. Snails and Slugs: Integrated Pest Management for Home Gardeners and Landscape Professionals. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Program
Summary: Available from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7427.html [Accessed 22 June 2010]
IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)., 2010. A Compilation of Information Sources for Conservation Managers.
Summary: This compilation of information sources can be sorted on keywords for example: Baits & Lures, Non Target Species, Eradication, Monitoring, Risk Assessment, Weeds, Herbicides etc. This compilation is at present in Excel format, this will be web-enabled as a searchable database shortly. This version of the database has been developed by the IUCN SSC ISSG as part of an Overseas Territories Environmental Programme funded project XOT603 in partnership with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment. The compilation is a work under progress, the ISSG will manage, maintain and enhance the database with current and newly published information, reports, journal articles etc.
Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia, 2010. European Brown Garden Snail
Summary: Available from: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/ebgsnail.htm [Accessed 22 June 2010]
General information
Alvarez, L. A., D. Gramaje, P. Abad-Campos and J. Garci�a-Jimenez, 2009. Role of the Helix aspersa snail as a vector of Phytophthora citrophthora causing branch cankers on clementine trees in Spain. Plant Pathology (2009) 58, 956�963
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), 2010. Helix aspersa Muller, 1774
Summary: Available from: http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=77906 [Accessed 22 June 2010]
Motheral, Sara M.; Orrock, John L., 2010. Gastropod Herbivore Preference for Seedlings of Two Native and Two Exotic Grass Species. American Midland Naturalist. 163(1). JAN 2010. 106-114.
Varnham, K 2006. Non-native species in UK Overseas Territories: a review JNCC Report No. 372
Summary: Available from: http://www.caymanbiodiversity.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/jncc372_web.pdf [Accessed 9 April 2010]
Contact
The following 0 contacts offer information an advice on Helix aspersa
Helix aspersa
European brown snail, brown garden snail
Date assessed
Year published
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Justification for EICAT assessment
Confidence rating
Mechanism(s) of maximum impact
Countries of most severe impact
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Recommended citation
(2024). Helix aspersa. IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT).