Achatina

snail genus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The genus Achatina comprises very large, air-breathing land snails native to Africa. These snails are also known as African snails and have been introduced to parts of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, where they can become significant pests to agricultural crops. Some species within the Achatina genus are among the largest land snails, reaching up to 20 cm (8 inches) in size. While some land snails, like certain European Helix species, are considered culinary delicacies, introduced Achatina species can cause damage to crops and gardens.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

gastropod
Importance to humans
In some places, introductions of Achatina and Helix have resulted in damage to crops and gardens by these rapidly multiplying snails. On the other hand, habitat degradation, the introduction of predatory rats and land snails, and shell collecting by humans have caused the extinction of about 50 percent of all…
Read More
In some places, introductions of Achatina and Helix have resulted in damage to crops and gardens by these rapidly multiplying snails. On the other hand, habitat degradation, the introduction of predatory rats and land snails, and shell collecting by humans have caused the extinction of about 50 percent of all…
Read More