Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) Florida Applesnail

 Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) Florida Applesnail         Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) Florida Applesnail         Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829) Florida Applesnail

    Pomacea paludosa is the largest native freshwater gastropod found here in Duval County within Northeast Florida. The species is reportedly more common in southern and warmer areas of the state where it serves as a primary food source for the Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) and the endangered Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis). Pomacea paludosa has thus far been found at 42 locations in Duval County where it co-exists with three other members of the genus; P. diffusa Blume, 1957, P. maculata Perry, 1810 and P. canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822). The latter three are not native to Florida but were probably intentionally or unintentionally introduced as a result of the aquarium trade.

    In his 1984 work(1), Dr. Fred Thompson reported the following about Pomacea paludosa: "Widely distributed throughout the Florida peninsula, and occurring sporadically west of the Suwannee River to the Choctawhatchee River. The Florida Applesnail occurs in Cuba. It is found in Georgia in isolated springs along the Flint and Ocmulgee rivers and is introduced in Covington County, Alabama, in a small reservoir artificially heated by industrial wastewater. Otherwise the species is not able to survive the lower winter temperatures that occur along the northern tier of Florida counties and northward. It has been introduced extensively into Pacific islands and southeast Asia, where it is raised for human consumption. The species has existed continuously in the Florida peninsula since the Pliocene."

Following the trail of Dr. Fred Thompson to historic Green Cove Springs, Florida

    Observations since Dr. Thompson's work suggest that Pomacea paludosa is considerably more tolerant of cold winter temperatures than initially thought. Confirmed finds of the species in Duval County continue to increase at a rapid pace and thus far include a small creek in an urban neighborhood (Red Bay Branch, Tree Hill Nature Center)  2  (2005), a borrow pit   4   (2005), as well as the other numbered locations listed below. The variety of habitats involved indicates that the species is much more common in northeast Florida than initially believed and other populations await discovery.

(1) Thompson, F. G. 1984. The freshwater snails of Florida: a manual for identification. University of Florida Press, Gainesville. 94 pp.

Pomacea Eggs/Egg Laying Pomacea Juveniles/Hatchlings
Pomacea Mating Pomacea Radula/Jaws

Pomacea Rare Golden Variety

Florida Fossil Pomacea

Miscallaneous Pomacea Images

Big Pottsburg Creek Watershed Pomacea paludosa

--Industrial Park Drainage Ditch On Bayberry Road, Southeastern Duval County - July, 2005    9 

--Urban Drainage Ditch On Parental Home Road, Southeastern Duval County - August, 2005    5 

--Bennett Branch, Bowden Road, Southeastern Duval County - October, 2005    7 
--Big Pottsburg Creek At Belfort Road, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006   18 
--Big Pottsburg Creek At A. C. Skinner Parkway, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006    22 
--Baymeadows Road, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006    19 
--Baymeadows Way Lake/Drainage Ditch, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006    19 
--Belfort Park Retention Pond, Belfort Parkway, Southeastern Duval County - July, 2006     22 
--Princeton Square Boulevard Apartments, Southeastern Duval County - February, 2007     25 
--Como Lake Drive Near Southside Boulevard, Southeastern Duval County - February, 2007    26
--Touchton Road East Swale, Southeastern Duval County - August, 2007    28    Extirpated By Man
--Candlewood Suites Hotel Lake, Southeastern Duval County - August, 2007    29 

Jones Creek Watershed Pomacea paludosa

--Un-named Lake In The Regency Square Mall Area Of Jacksonville, Florida - July, 2005    3 
--Atrium Retirement Community Lake, Southeastern Duval County - February, 2006   13 
--Jones Creek "Plant," Southeastern Duval County - April, 2006

Julington Creek Watershed Pomacea paludosa

--Freedom Commerce Center Tract, Southeastern Duval County - August, 2005    6 
--Big Davis Creek, Southeastern Duval County - February, 2006   11 
--Un-named Creek/Bog In Southeastern Duval County - March, 2006    14 
--Big Davis Creek At Interstate-95, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006   21 
--Sweetwater Creek Near Intersection Of State Road 9A And Philips Highway, Southeastern Duval County - October, 2010   38
--Lake Near The Intersection Of Philips Highway (US-1) And Greenland Road, Jacksonville, Duval County - June, 2019  42

No Specific Watershed Association

"Duck Pond" at Florida State College Jacksonville Kent Campus, Duval County - June, 2005    1 

Cypress Plaza Business Center Lakes, Southeastern Duval County - September, 2005   
Florida State College Jacksonville South Campus, Duval County - January, 2006   10 
San Jose Lake, Southeastern Duval County - February, 2006    12 
Un-named Lake/Ditch In Mandarin, Southern Duval County - April, 2006   15 
Small Man-made Pond In Oceanway, Northern Duval County - May, 2006   16    Extirpated By Man
Ditch Adjacent To Kernan Boulevard, Southeastern Duval County - May, 2006   17 
Mill Dam Branch On Baymeadows Road East, Southeastern Duval County - June, 2006    20 
Ditch Adjacent To South Kernan Boulevard, Southeastern Duval County - July, 2006     23    Extirpated By Man
Sawmill Slough, University Of North Florida, Southeastern Duval County - August, 2006   
Ditch (11700 Beach Blvd.) and Lantana Lakes Subdivision Lakes, Southeastern Duval County - December, 2006    24 
Bethesda Park Lake [Fish Management Area], Northwestern Duval County - May, 2007    27
Pope Duval Park [Fish Management Area], Far Western Duval County - October, 2007     30
Walnut Bend Subdivision Lake System, Duval County - September, 2009    31
St. Augustine At The Lake Apartment Homes, Duval County - October, 2009   32
Dunn Creek On Starratt Road, Duval County, Florida - December, 2009   33
Roadside Drainage Ditch On Imeson Road, Duval County - March, 2010   34
Six Mile Creek/Roadside Drainge Ditch On Imeson Road, Duval County - March, 2010   35
Retention Ponds At U. S. Postal Facility On Commonwealth Avenue, Duval County - May, 2010   36
Drainage Ditch Near Grace Lane, Duval County - May, 2010   37
Retention Pond Behind Winn-Dixie Grocery Store On Beach Boulevard, Duval County - May, 2014  39
Lake/Borrow Pit At Gerdau Steel Mill At Baldwin, Far Western Duval County (not illustrated on the map below)
Retention Ponds, Intersection of Interstate 295 and Gate Parkway, Duval County - October, 2017 40
Drainage Ditch On Saints Road In The Sandalwood Area Of  Jacksonville, Duval County - August, 2018 41
Borrow Pit Behind Commercial Facilities At 9365 Philips Highway, Jacksonville, Duval County - August, 2018  42

Duval County Pomacea paludosa map

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