Because I am a 'must know' sort of person, I contacted the Museum of Victoria. The Museum's "Discovery Centre" replied the next day.
Apparently there are two similar species. Prietocella barbara (previously known as Cochlicella barbara) and Cochlicella acuta. Both species are migrants from the Mediterranean and deemed to be agricultural pests in Australia!
The Museum thinks this one is probably Prietocella barbara because of my location.
Since this 'photo opportunity' the little snail seems to have disappeared.
2 comments:
JL, at one of our birding locations, a saline wetland, we've seen literally banks of empty shells blown and heaped up by the wind, millions of them. Don't know if they do any serious damage in that location. Seen lots along the Murray too, and once found a live one in a bunch of grapes from the Riverland!
That's interesting, Duncan. I wonder if the drought had anything to do with their mortality?
I am virtually snail-free here (including the common garden variety) so that's why this one caught my eye - apart from its rather brilliant colouring.
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