Espécie invasora em reservas naturais: caracterização da população de Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 (Mollusca - Achatinidae) na Ilha Rasa, Guaraqueçaba, Paraná, Brasil

Abstract

The African snail Achatina fulica is one of the 100 most harmfull invasive alien species, causing serious damages mainly in islands. We had as objective to characterize the population of A. fulica in Ilha Rasa, Guaraqueçaba, Paraná, Brazil. Seasonal and diurnal collections of A. fulica and associated fauna were driven in the border and interior forest, sandbank, swamp and urban area of Almeida and Ilha Rasa communities. We collected 959 snails, with an average of 66.4 animals for inspected place, being considered that there is around 9,000 snails in the island. However the frequency of the animals was conditioned the time of the year, size of the animal and community. The small and recent population of A. fulica associated to the anthropic environment demands an urgent and effective plan of eradication avoiding its establishment and the dispersion for the wild areas.