Pila globosa (picture not licenced under creative commons)

Shell: The shell is globose with an oval opening. In contrast with Pila ampullacea, Pila globosa has a large and deep umbilicus.
The colour varies from olive green to grey green with a tinge of red. A large number of variations are known. The interior of the shell is dull reddish with very faint spiral bands visible, white at the columella.
Operculum: The operculum is calcified at the inside (part attached to the snail).
Body: ?
Eggs: The calcareous, white eggs of Pila globosa are deposited above the waterline in a natural depression or snail made pit in the ground.
The size of the eggs vary from 4 to 7 mm diameter.
Hatching occurs after 2 - 3 weeks depending on the temperature.

Pila globosa snails in *large* amounts. These snails are collected in Bangladesh with the purpose to use them as shrimp (gher) food. Picture courtesy of Care international (picture not licenced under creative commons)

Once collected, the Pila globosa are removed from their shell prior to feeding them to the shrimps. Picture courtesy of Care international (picture not licenced under creative commons)

Food:
Behaviour:
Distribution: Inhabits a large area from North-Central India to Bankok.
Sinistral shell reported in 1981: 3.41 Jelatura, Sri Lanka.

Interesting link: Environmental impacts of gher farming from CARE International. Gher farmers in Bangladesh have traditionally use the meat from the freshwater Apple Snail (Pila globosa) as a feed for prawns.

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