Chinese Mysterysnail

Chinese mysterysnails can reach high densities and outcompete native species for food and habitat. They are intermediate hosts for parasitic worms and can transmit trematodes that kill waterfowl.

Common Name: Chinese mysterysnail

Scientific Name: Cipangopaludina chinensis

Native Range: East Asia

Background

Chinese mysterysnails are large, golf-ball-sized snails with a “trapdoor” or operculum. These snails are typically light in color when young and then darken to greenish brown, brown, or reddish-brown pigmentation as an adult.

Habitat

Chinese mysterysnails inhabit lakes and slow-moving rivers.

NYS Distribution Map

NOTE: If you receive a “sign in” message, click cancel to continue. Confirmed observations of Water chestnut submitted to the NYS Invasive Species Database. For more information, visit iMapInvasives

Identification

Chinese mysterysnails have a large globose shell that can be as large as a golf ball, and a trapdoor or operculum.

Impact

Chinese mysterysnails can reach high densities and outcompete native species for food and habitat. They are intermediate hosts for parasitic worms and can transmit trematodes that kill waterfowl. Their foul-smelling shells often litter shorelines and clog screens of water intakes.

Prevention and Control

Once established, very little can be done apart from manual removal of these snails. The most effective method to control these aquatic invasive species is to prevent their introduction in the first place. Before and after visiting different waterbodies, always clean, drain, and dry all boats, bait buckets, and gear to remove any invasive plants or animals that may be present.