Otala punctata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae.
| Otala punctata | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Helicidae |
| Genus: | Otala |
| Species: | O. punctata
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| Binomial name | |
| Otala punctata (O. F. Müller, 1774)
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| Synonyms | |
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List
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Distribution edit
This species occurs in the Mediterranean basin - Andorra, Spain, the Balearic Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia and Malta
This species is already established in the United States, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore, it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.[2]
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Culinary edit
In southern Spain they are prepared in a typical dish, "cabrillas", cooked in spicy tomato sauce.
References edit
- ^ Arrébola, J. (2011). "Otala punctata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T156692A124239448. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Cowie R. H., Dillon R. T., Robinson D. G. & Smith J. W. (2009). "Alien non-marine snails and slugs of priority quarantine importance in the United States: A preliminary risk assessment". American Malacological Bulletin 27: 113-132. PDF Archived 2016-06-16 at the Wayback Machine.
External links edit
- Otala punctata on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
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