Latin name: Archachatina ventricosa

A Trail of Mucus!

• At an impressive size of 250 g, it is an hermaphrodite, meaning that it possesses both male and female reproductive organs.

• It has four sensorial tentacles. The two smaller ones at the front are used to touch and taste. The two bigger ones at the top of the head, are used to see and smell.

• Its moving speed goes from slow (0,05 km/hr) to extremely slow (0,01 km/hr). Compared to that, a sloth moves at a speed of 1,6 km/hr in trees and a tortoise of the Gopherus genus can go at 0,5 km/hr on land.

• The mucus trail it leaves behind helps it avoid drying out when moving on dry substrate and protects it when moving on cutting surfaces; it can move over a razor blade without hurting itself.

• Lacking a specific status, the capture of individuals in the wild for human consumption is increasing rapidly. Captive breeding needs to be developed in order to prevent overexploitation of the species.