Otala punctata

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

Otala punctata
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
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)

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.