Their shells are often fawn or an orange-brown color and they have a lot of distinctive whorls and bands on the surface. The giant whelk is found in the waters around Australia and Tasmania and eats crustaceans, worms, and other snails. #4: Giant Whelkįilling the top spots on the list are sea snails, and next up is is the giant whelk which is a sea snail that can grow to a shell length of around 26cm (10 inches). Their conservation status is Least Concern, and more information can be found on our African land snail page. Due to this, it is actually illegal to own them in many places and the import of them is banned in the US. They are a highly invasive species and are known as major pests as they cause so much damage to plants and crops and they spread diseases – they even carry a parasite that can cause meningitis in humans. They have dark brown shells and they reproduce extremely quickly. These giants were originally from East Africa but are now found right across the world on every continent except for Antarctica.
The largest land snail in the world is the giant African land snail (lissachatina fulica) which can grow to be up to 20cm (8 inches) long. #5: Giant African Land Snail The giant African land snail in someone’s hand As well as these ridges, their shells can be a variety of brown, yellow and orange colors in vertical streaks. They have a particularly distinctive shell as it is a different texture to most other snails, their shell having a lot of ridges and scratches on its surface.
These snails can grow extremely quickly to a size of around 18cm (7 inches) long and are found mainly in Tanzania and on the south east coast of Africa where they prefer a wet environment with a high level of humidity. Lissachatina (Achatine) Reticulata are a large species of land snail and are more commonly known as “Retics”. However, despite their appealing appearance, apple snail eggs are actually extremely harmful to the touch and contain a strong neurotoxin as well as carrying a parasite called rat lungworm. However, they usually eat dead fish but have also been known to feed on fish that are sick or dying if they are in the same tank as them.Īpple snails usually lay their eggs outside of the water, and they are often a vibrant pink or red colour. Apple snails are a popular pet and are often kept in fish tanks alongside fish. They are particularly unique as they have both a gill and a lung which means they can survive both in and out of the water, with them often leaving the water when there is insufficient food in it for them. They originated in South America but quickly spread around the world and became known as pests. #7: Apple Snails Apple snails are an invasive species across AmericaĪpple snails are a type of large freshwater snail that often grow to around 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and can be found in several different colors, including brown, blue, and yellow. These snails prefer a warm and humid environment and are often kept as pets. Achatina Immaculata are also often called the pink-lipped agate snail due to the stunning pink edge (lip) around the shell of most adults. They are easily distinguishable by their striped shell and can grow to an adult size of 15cm (6 inches) in length. #8: Achatina ImmaculataĪchatina Immaculata is a species of snail that originated on the coast of East Africa but is now also found in South Africa as well.
Originally from the Mediterranean and parts of Europe, it is now widespread across the world as is classified as a pest due to its invasive nature and the damage that it causes to crops and vegetation. Also called the green snail, this species is easily identifiable by its green shell and can grow to a shell size of 10-12cm (up to 5 inches) in length. Starting our list off at number nine is the Mediterranean Green Snail. Keep reading to discover the largest snails in the world (the largest weighs more than 30 pounds)! #9: Mediterranean Green Snail A green snail from the family Helicidae But what are the largest snails in the world? You might not expect it, but some snails can be far larger than you would ever expect. Spread out across the world in all different habitats, from the most common of garden snails to sea snails, there is far more to snails than meets the eye. With more than 40,000 species of snails in the world today – including land, sea, and freshwater snails – it is inevitable that there is a variety of appearances.
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