Pomacea (pomacea) haustrum (Reeve, 1856)

The South American ampullarid Pomacea haustrum is classified under the canaliculata complex. This is a groups af very closely related species which are very variable in size and appearance.

Shell: Relatively large shell (9-12 cm heigth) with a dark green to brown base colour. The shell is also heavily banded with dark-brown bands. Near the shell opening (aperture) the shell becomes lighter in colour.
The suture is deeply indended, much like in Pomacea canaliculata and Pomacea maculata. Compared with Pomacea canaliculata, haustrum has a less round and relatively higher shell.
Operculum: The operculum is moderately thick and corneous. The structure is concentric with the nucleus near the centre of the shell. The operculum can be retracted in the aperture (shell opening). 
Body: The body has a grey-brownish colour with dark pigment spots. The head is ligth in colour (nearly white), while the tentacles and the siphon are well pigmented.
The siphon is very long when fully extented. At rest, the siphon is still a tube, but is bended below the shell.

Pomacea haustrum, back.	Pomacea haustrum, front. Click on picture to enlarge.	Pomacea haustrum. Spine (left) and columella (right).
Pomacea haustrum, operculum (shell door).	Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)	Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)
Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)	Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)	Pomacea haustrum.

Eggs: Green eggs, deposited in dense clutches on emergent vegetation (above the waterline).

The bright green eggs of Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)

Eggs on vegetation in the Florida wetlands. Most likely from Pomacea haustrum. (picture not licenced under creative commons)

Food: Eats almost all types of vegetation.
Behaviour: Most active during the night.
Habitat and distribution: Amazon region; Brasil: Para State; Rio Tapajoz; Rio Manaron at Fonteboa and Tabatinga; Santrem, (Ilhé Grande Tapara and Lago Grande do Javary; Lago Baptista (Olalla). Peru: Rio Ucayali; Cinco Copal, (Agua Caliente, Pachita River, Huanaco). Bolivia: Amazon river.
Looks similar to:
Not surprizingly Pomacea haustrum is very similar to other members of the canaliculata complex. It can be hard to distinguish from Pomacea maculata (Perry, 1810), Pomacea lineata (Spix, 1827), Pomacea sordida (Swainson, 1822), Pomacea insularum (D'Orbigny, 1839) (habitat: Parana, La Plata to Bolivia) and Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1819).

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