Pulmonates are typically land and fresh water snails and slugs, along with a few species from shoreline. We currently cover only two species, a shell-less slug-like animal that lives on and under rocks low on the beach and a variably colored shell that typically lives on vegetation above the high tide marks. There are a few land snails on Kwajalein, probably mostly introduced, that we have not included. One of the invaders in the early 1990s was the large African Land Snail (Achatina fulica). It suddenly appeared, probably by cargo ship or perhaps small ones on smuggled plants, and quickly spread across the island, seriously affecting the yard plants upon which it was feeding. There were often dozens in our very small yard. After a couple of years, the population suddenly faded; possibly a drier than usual dry season killed most of them off. The last group we found was in a wet area underneath an air conditioner dripping condensate. We displatched the 20 or so individuals there, and after than did not run into any again for the remainder of our stay. Even now, however, hermit crabs continue to use their shells, which are getting more and more battered with age. (Click on a thumbnail for more images of that species.)
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