Land Snail 'Bayuku'

Land snail "Bayuku", Ryssota otaheitana Ferussac 1821 (syn.: Ryssota ovum Valenciennes 1854), is a large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicarionidae. This spotting is about 6cm in diameter. It is endemic to the Philippines with islands Luzon, Mindoro, Romblon, Samar and Panay in the Visayas, among its range.

In natural forests, Bayuku is normally found at the base or buttresses of trees, the underside of forest leaves, underneath fallen branches, decomposing logs and rock depressions or weathered rock surfaces. The snail is difficult to see on the ground, as its brown shell is well-camouflaged among the dead leaves, rotten branches and the soil. The bayuku is nocturnal. As darkness approaches, it can be observed crawling, feeding or resting. At daybreak, it hides in sheltered places, concealing itself among the forest litter.

Bayuku depends on the availability of moisture for survival. It is abundant during the rainy season, its body is heftier and sturdier during this time. During the dry months, it is commonly found in damp areas or in cool places that prevent dehydration. Bayuku helps in the nutrient cycling of the ecosystem as it feeds on moist, decomposing forest debris and casts nutrient-rich fecal matter.

Source: A promising component in Philippine agroforestry: a land snail called bayuku (Ryssota ovum) by Jimson S. Solatre. This is a short survey conducted in the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve in Laguna to assess Bayuku's potential integration into agroforestry systems.