Odour tracking to a food source by the gastropod Meridolum gulosum (Gould, 1864) from New South Wales, Australia (Camaenidae : Eupulmonata : Mollusca)

Abstract

Some gastropods are able to find food sources by following airborne chemical plumes using both tropotaxis and anemotaxis. This study examined odour tracking to food odours with a species of terrestrial gastropod, Meridolum gulosum (Gould, 1864), a native to rainforests in coastal south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It was demonstrated that M. gulosum moves towards food odours (fungus) in still air, and holds its tentacles at characteristic angles when moving towards an odour source. This snail can detect odours at least 12 cm away from the source in air.