324 
it has spread through many tropical and sub- 
tropical areas. It was introduced to Mauritius 
(1803, or before), later to Seychelles, and 
about 1847 was introduced to Calcutta, India 
(Jutting, 1934:43). Several authors report its 
spread from India (Jarrett, 1931:263; Jut- 
ting, 1934:43; and Mead, 1949:38-39). In 
1900 it appeared at Ceylon, and in 1911 was 
present at Singapore and later in other 
Malayan localities. In Borneo (Sarawak) it 
appeared in 1928 and in 1933 its presence 
was noted in Java and Sumatra. It appeared 
at Amoy, China, in 1931 and was recorded 
at Hong Kong in 1937. 
The Japanese apparently hastened the 
spread of the African snail during their 
Pacific campaign because they carried snails 
as a supplementary diet from one island to 
another. The snail was undoubtedly present 
on certain of the islands before the war, but 
on others had not been introduced. As a 
result, the snail became more widely distrib- 
uted in the Dutch East Indies, particularly in 
New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. 
It appeared in the Philippines and is known 
from the Bonin Islands. 
In Micronesia, Townes (1946:15-16) re- 
ported Achatina fulica from Saipan, Tinian, 
Rota, and Guam in the Marianas and from 
Koror, Ponape (near Colonia), southern 
Babelthuap, Peleliu, and part of Truk (Dub- 
Ion) in the Carolines. T. R. Gardner (per- 
sonal communication) supplied more de- 
tailed information regarding its distribution 
in the Palau Islands as follows: Angaur, 
Malakal, Koror, Arakabesan, and the south 
half of Babelthuap. Mead (1949:39) re- 
ported it at Pagan in the Marianas. Reliable 
natives on Saipan report that the snail has 
been present on the island for about 10 years. 
It had also been reported from Pagan prior 
to the Pacific conflict. 
In the Philippines this snail was very com- 
mon on October 22, 1947, at Los Banos, 
Luzon, feeding upon papaya fruits. It was 
found by the writer in southern Siam, north 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IV, October, 1950 
of Haadjai, on December 8, 1947. In Malaya 
it was a common, but non-destructive, mol- 
lusk in the Port Swettenham region near 
Kiang. 
DESCRIPTION 
The degree of variation in shell size and 
markings and the internal anatomy of Acha- 
tina fulica are described by Tryon and Pilsbry 
(1904-05:55-58). 
On Saipan typical shells are dull whitish, 
yellowish, or gray-tan, with characteristic 
transverse dark brown to purplish-brown 
streaks. Transverse dark markings are more 
prevalent in juvenile specimens. In older 
individuals the first whorls become white to 
gray and the body whorl often becomes a 
uniform tan devoid of transverse markings. 
Fig. 1. Shells of Achatina fulica: above, juve- 
nile specimens, Saipan, November 3, 1947; below, 
left, specimen from Rota, March 16, 1948, show- 
ing reduction of dark bands; right, typical Saipan 
specimen, November 3, 1947. 
