Megalobulimus is a genus of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Megalobuliminae within the family Strophocheilidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).
Megalobulimus is the type genus of the subfamily Megalobuliminae.
(Original description) The jaw and radula of the following species differ so considerably from those of the typical
Borus oblongus Müll. that I considered establishing a new subgenus,
Megalobulimus, into which the giants of the Bulimidae would be classified. These could be characterized by the absence of strong transverse ribs on the jaw, a finely granular shell, reddish-brown upper whorls, a white band accompanying the suture, and a white aperture.
Distribution: These species are primarily found throughout South America—especially in the Andean Amazon and eastern Brazil. Some species are widespread across the continent, while others are locally restricted.
Habitat: Habitats include humid tropical forests, grasslands, and often forest litter and soil. Some species have an affinity for limestone soils and may be found in or near caves.
Species: Species within the genus
Megalobulimus include:
- Megalobulimus abbreviatus (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus albescens (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus albus (Bland & Binney, 1872)
- Megalobulimus amandus Simone, 2012
- Megalobulimus auritus (Sowerby, 1838)
- Megalobulimus bertae Lange-de-Morretes, 1952
- Megalobulimus bronni (Pfeiffer, 1847)
- Megalobulimus capillaceus (Pfeiffer, 1855)
- Megalobulimus cardosoi (Lange-de-Morretes, 1952)
- Megalobulimus carrikeri (Pilsbry, 1930)
- Megalobulimus chionostoma (Mörch, 1852)
- Megalobulimus conicus (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus crassus (Albers, 1850)
- Megalobulimus diluvianus Fontenelle & Salvador, 2023
- Megalobulimus dryades Fontenelle, Simone & Cavallari, 2021
- Megalobulimus elongatus (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus elsae Falconeri, 1994
- Megalobulimus felipponei Ihering, 1928
- Megalobulimus florezi Borda & Ramírez, 2013
- Megalobulimus foreli (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus formicacorsii (Barattini & Ledón, 1949)
- Megalobulimus fragilior (Ihering, 1901)
- Megalobulimus garbeanus (Leme, 1964)
- Megalobulimus garciamoreni (K. Miller, 1878)
- Megalobulimus globosus (Martens, 1876)
- Megalobulimus granulosus (Rang, 1831)
- Megalobulimus gummatus (Hidalgo, 1870)
- Megalobulimus haemastomus (Scopoli, 1786)
- †Megalobulimus hauthali (Ihering, 1904)
- Megalobulimus hector (Pfeiffer, 1857)
- Megalobulimus helicoides Simone, 2018
- Megalobulimus huascari (Tschudi, 1852)
- Megalobulimus inambarisensis Borda & Ramírez, 2016
- Megalobulimus indigens (Fulton, 1914)
- Megalobulimus intercedens (E. von Martens, 1876)
- Megalobulimus intertextus (Pilsbry, 1895)
- Megalobulimus jaguarunensis Fontenelle, Cavallari & Simone, 2014
- Megalobulimus klappenbachi (Leme, 1964)
- Megalobulimus lacunosus (d´Orbigny, 1835)
- Megalobulimus leonardosi (Lange-de-Morretes, 1952)
- Megalobulimus leucostoma (G. B. Sowerby I, 1835)
- Megalobulimus lichtensteini Albers, 1854
- Megalobulimus lopesi Leme, 1989
- Megalobulimus martensianus (Pilsbry, 1902)
- Megalobulimus mauricius Falconeri, 1995
- Megalobulimus maximus (Sowerby, 1825)
- Megalobulimus mogianensis Simone & Leme, 1998
- Megalobulimus nodai Lange-de-Morretes, 1952
- Megalobulimus oblongus (Müller, 1774)
- Megalobulimus oliveirai (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus oosomus (Pilsbry, 1895)
- Megalobulimus ovatus (Müller, 1774)
- Megalobulimus parafragilior Leme & Indrusiak, 1990
- Megalobulimus paranaguensis (Pilsbry & Ihering, 1900)
- Megalobulimus pergranulatus (Pilsbry, 1901)
- Megalobulimus pintoi Lange-de-Morretes, 1952
- Megalobulimus popelairianus (Nyst, 1845)
- Megalobulimus proclivis (Martens, 1888)
- Megalobulimus pygmaeus (Bequaert, 1948)
- Megalobulimus riopretensis Simone & Leme, 1998
- Megalobulimus rolandianus Lange-de-Morretes, 1952
- Megalobulimus sanctaepauli (Ihering & Pilsbry, 1900)
- Megalobulimus santacruzii (d´Orbigny, 1835)
- Megalobulimus separabilis (Fulton, 1903)
- Megalobulimus tayacajus Borda & Ramírez, 2016
- Megalobulimus terrestris (Spix, 1827)
- Megalobulimus valenciennesii (Pfeiffer, 1842)
- Megalobulimus versatilis (Fulton, 1905)
- Megalobulimus vestitus (Pilsbry, 1926)
- † Megalobulimus wichmanni Miquel & Manceñido, 1999
- Megalobulimus wohlersi Lange-de-Morretes, 1952
- Megalobulimus yporanganus (Ihering & Pilsbry, 1901)
Human use: Shells of terrestrial snails, mainly of the genus
Megalobulimus, are found in fluvial shellmound (called
sambaqui in Brazil) on the Capelinha archaeological site from Paleo-Indian culture of early Holocene.
The shell of
Megalobulimus sp. (local name: "churito") is used in the traditional ethnomedicine of Northwest Argentina when babies are hyperactive and cannot sleep well, then it is advised to put a shell under a pillow.