You know you were meant to be a biologist when you get excited to discover that snails from different parts of the world look different. Both Puerto Rican and Malaysian snails are the size of mammoths compared to snails found in Sydney backyards (hopefully this fact makes Sydney gardeners a little happier). However, the shell shapes of these slimy creatures is very different. The snails from Puerto Rico are quite flattened, with the center point of the spiral barely protruding at all (photo above). Malaysian snails have a very elongated shell with the spiral being very pointed (photo below). If you are unlucky enough to have lots of snails in your veggie patch in Sydney, you might one day be lucky enough to attract a blue tongue lizard to your yard. These stocky lizards will happily take care of your slimy infestation, which is reason enough for me to keep feeding the snails in the hope that a lizard one day comes to dinner.
Laura Lecce's art and photography 
I guess it looks like I could have been a biologist because I find your post very interesting. 🙂 I am also a “critter lover” I do garden but I happily will take a snail and remove him and plop him down a safe area, just can’t kill the things. I will go look up that lizard, I want to see what he looks like. I have heard that Australia has oodles of critters, what a land of opportunity!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for sharing in my interests, not sure how many others will! Australia certainly does have a fair share of wonderful critters (and plenty of not so wonderful ones too!). Hope you like the blue tongue lizard, it’s a fairly common lizard in most parts of Australia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just looked it up and they are slow moving, and that blue tongue, so cute! I can’t wrap my brain around that one! I keep a rimmed water dish out for our lizards, I love them. lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
You most definitely are an honorary biologist!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLike
Interesting post Laura. Not a biologist but always interested in the natural world😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish you good luck with your blue-tongue lizard attraction campaign! The only one I’ve ever seen in the wild, sadly, had been the victim of a passing car.
LikeLike
Seems like all you saw in Australia was a lot of roadkill ☹️
LikeLike
Not so, Laura, and I’m sorry to have given that impression! I’ve been quite fortunate, actually. I’ve had memorable experiences with rainbow lorikeets, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, kookaburras, magpies, bell birds, and more–and I even got to hold a wombat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol, thank gosh…you were starting to make me worry! That’s quite a list you have there, and you got to cuddle a wombat too? I see that you came across our mostly friendly, non-deadly critters…. no snakes or spiders crossed your path?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not a single one, ever. Though I’ve seen a couple of your white-tails that had emigrated to New Zealand. Oh, and I forgot to mention my very favorite of your denizens–the fabulous fruit bats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s funny that the fruit bat is your favorite… I’ve had other people tell me they look demonic. I personally think they are a very cool animal.
LikeLike
There are some bats whose visage, by many standards, could be considered demonic, but your fruit bat is–to my way of thinking, at least–definitely not among them. In fact, I consider them downright handsome, and it’s no wonder their other common name is flying fox. If you’ve delved into past posts of mine, you may have seen me mention my younger daughter, whom I call Batty on the website; she’s had a special interest in bats for most of her life and is certified for bat rehabilitation. (My older daughter, the marine biologist, is Squiddy.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it’s wonderful that your daughter rehabilitates bats. It has always been a dream of mine to one day be an Australian wildlife rescue and rehabilitator… so hopefully one day. Very fitting and endearing nicknames 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Puerto Rican snail has a beautiful shell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome. Thank you for your comment, I’m glad you like it.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve just moved from Tennessee to southern Brazil, and I was also surprised to go from the flat, button snails of Tennessee to the snails here, who look like they’re carrying little conch shells around on their backs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, what an adventure! I’m sure you’ll come across so many other cool wildlife…like iguanas and lizards!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have startled a couple of lizards out of the bushes already. They’re mammoth! I think I’m enjoying the birds the most though. We have some owls that live underground outside our apartment, and there are little parakeet-looking birds singing in the trees.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How very cool! Underground owls? I will most definitely have to look them up, that’s fascinating!
LikeLike