Liguus virgineus

Liguus virgineus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Orthalicidae
Genus:	Liguus
Species:	L. virgineus
Binomial name
Liguus virgineus (Linnaeus, 1758)[1]
Synonyms
Bulla virginea Linnaeus, 1758 Achatina virginea Linnaeus, 1758

Liguus virgineus, also known as the candy cane snail, is a species of tree-living snail native to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It has a distinctive conical shell of 30–60 mm (1.2–2.4 in). The background of the shell is white; there are typically 3–6 spiraling stripes of various colors, including brown, black, pink, green, purple, or light yellow. The shells are typically right-handed with seven or eight whorls. Though it spends most of its life in trees, it descends to lay its eggs in moist soil. It consumes various kinds of lichens throughout its life, as well as twigs and small branches. Its shells have been discovered in midden heaps in the Dominican Republic, indicating that it was a food resource for indigenous peoples. Early European explorers to Hispaniola brought the shells back to Europe, and it has been depicted in scientific illustrations since 1684, making it first Neotropical land snail that was scientifically illustrated.