apparent descendant of a Mexican species, and it probably migrated to 

 Florida via the Southern United States in Pliocene times" (p. 24). By 

 1895, following the description given by Binney (1885), the snail was 

 reported near the Manatee River, at Port Orange, Florida, and Oak Hill, 

 Florida, in Volusia County, and on Florida's West Coast. Simpson (1893) 

 reported finding several hundred dead shells in a heavy hammock north of 

 the Manatee River. 



Very little practical interest was accorded the citrus tree snail 

 until Sellards (1906) reported that it was feeding on sooty mold on 

 citrus in Manatee County, Florida. It was brought to Sellards' atten- 

 tion by Mr. F. D. Waite who, in 1904, first noted the cleaned fruit and 

 leaves. The use of the citrus tree snail as a biological agent grew 

 from 1906 until Norris (1946) summarized existing knowledge on the 

 history of the snail from this time. 



Biology . Binney (1878), giving a general description of land snails, 

 stated they normally lay their eggs in the soil and were phytophagous. 

 Griffiths (1949) gave an estimate of 40 or more eggs layed in mass by 

 the citrus tree snail. This was later defined as 40 to 400 eggs per 

 egg mass (Muma, 1955). The newly hatched snail measures 2 mm or less 

 (Norris, 1946; Griffiths, 1949). 



The snails were believed to take up to two years to reach full 

 maturity (Tryon, 1882) until Muma (1955) recorded mature snails in one 

 year or less. Fully mature shells reach 3 cm in length (Griffiths, 

 1949). 



Lawrence (1950) stated that the snail was hermaphroditic, laying 

 its eggs in the soil and leaf mold at the base of citrus trees during 

 the summer rainy season. Griffiths (1949) placed oviposition in the 



