Allometry and geographic variation of the morphology of Achatina fulica (Achatinidae) in Colombia

ABSTRACT

The morphological characterisation of populations of exotic species is relevant for monitoring their impacts, as morphological traits are the first to react to environmental gradients. In Colombia, the giant African snail (Achatina fulica) has expanded across the country, occupying different habitats. We assessed the morphological variations of its shell in the cis- and trans-Andean regions of Colombia. We systematically and opportunistically collected snails at 12 locations in Colombia and applied geometric morphometric methods to analyse shell morphology variations. We found significant differences in A. fulica shell morphology, size, and allometry between cis- and trans-Andean regions. We also found differences in the frequencies of colour patterns, with pattern #2 being most frequent in the cis-Andean region and pattern #5 in the trans-Andean region. Results suggest that the shell morphology of A. fulica is an attribute that may respond to environmental, management or genetic differences between cis- and trans-Andean regions and that these differences should be considered in the design of management strategies across the country.

KEYWORDS:

• Environmental factors
• geometrical morphometry
• invasive species
• phenotypic plasticity

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Universidad del Valle, Grupo de Investigación en Ecología Animal, and Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC) for financing the study; the Universidad de Pamplona for logistical help in moving A. fulica individuals to Cali; Armando Ortega, Diego Hernández, Fernando Rondón, and the Bedoya family for locating sites with giant African snails in the different administrative units in Colombia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).