[applesnail dot net= ]Habitat and distribution: Pomacea canaliculata is widely distributed in the lentic habitats throughout the Amazon Inferior Basin and the Plata Basin: Southeast Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Pomacea canaliculata is one of the most Southern occuring Pomacea species in South America (Argentina).
Last decades Pomacea canaliculata has spread to south-east Asia and can now be found in Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, southern China, Japan and the Philippines. The snail also invaded in the Southern parts of the USA (Texas and Florida, upto central Ohio) and is expected to spread futher in the comming years. For more detailed information about the establishment of Pomacea canaliculata populations in Texas, follow this link:
http://www.cdfa.
ca.gov/phpps/ppd/Entomology/Snails/Applesnail.htm
Possibly the species is making its way to Australia too.
oh..
btw...In spite the fact that many snail species are hermaphrodite (being male and female at the same time) apple snails are definitely not: they have separated sexes (gonochoristic) and a male and a female are needed for reproduction.
For more info about the anatomy of apple snails: take a look at the anatomy section of this site.
They have a species indentify area with photos as well..you have golden brigedsii malaysians or Pomacea glauca(seen as horned, gold inca).
'Pest Alert' section, 'Asian distribution map' section and 'Eradication' section.
Pomacea canaliculata is also a very common in the aquarium trade, but its voracious appetite gives the apple snail family in general a bad reputation in the aquarium hobby.
Looks similar to
omacea insularum and Pomacea lineata.