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Glossy Turban Carnivorous Snail (remnant shell)
Terrycarlessia turbinata
-26.8742, 151.581
Field Notes
Description:
The remains of a Glossy Turban Carnivorous Snail. It belongs to a family (Rhytididae) whose members prey on invertebrates such as earthworms and also on other snails. Some are even cannabalistic, devouring smaller individuals of their own species. It is an Australian native. Another species considered for this spotting was the Giant Panda Snail (Hedleyella falconeri). It is also found in southeast Queensland, but the species is much larger and its shell rounder in shape, not unlike that of a common garden snail, only massive by comparision. The shell of the Glossy Turban Carnivorous Snail is much flatter in shape, and my spotting is much smaller than H. falconeri, although still a reasonably large snail by any standard.
Habitat:
It ranges from the Barrington Tops in New South Wales to about Nambour in southeast Queensland. This specimen was found in subtropical rainforest in Bunya Mountains National Park, southeast Queensland, so this species falls within the range mentioned. They hide under logs and in deep leaf litter, and that's exactly where I found this shell. Here's some park info - http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/bunya-mountains/culture.html
Notes:
These large land snails are favourites of the native Noisy Pitta birds (Pitta versicolor), which smash the shells against rocks to feed on the flesh. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noisy_pitta My spotting died of natural causes. The shell is intact, although very brittle and bleached of its original colour. PS: The reference link says "bad request", but please ignore this. It will still take you to the site required, that being the Queensland Museum.
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