Otala punctata

Otala punctata
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Helicidae
Genus:	Otala
Species:	O. punctata
Binomial name
	Otala punctata; (O. F. Müller, 1774)
Synonyms
	List Archelix abrolena var. incrassata Pallary, 1920; Archelix polita (Gassies, 1856); Helix lactea var. polita Gassies, 1856; Helix punctata O. F. Müller, 1774; Otala (Otala) punctata (O. F. Müller, 1774);

Otala punctata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae.

Distribution

This species occurs in the Mediterranean basin - Andorra, Spain, the Balearic Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia and Malta

This species is already established in the United States, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore, it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.^[2]

Three views of the shell
apical view	apertural view.	umbilical view

Culinary

In southern Spain they are prepared in a typical dish, "cabrillas", cooked in spicy tomato sauce.

References

^ Arrébola, J. (2011). "Otala punctata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T156692A124239448. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
^ Cowie R. H., Dillon R. T., Robinson D. G. & Smith J. W. (2009). "Alien non-marine snails and slugs of priority quarantine importance in the United States: A preliminary risk assessment". American Malacological Bulletin 27: 113-132. PDF Archived 2016-06-16 at the Wayback Machine.