Coffee bean snails, Melampus Coffee, is a species of snail commonly found in the mangroves forests of Southwestern Florida. The Coffee Melampus is a land snail that uses specialized tissue to breathe air. However, this specialized tissue called a lung is different from the respiratory system found in vertebrate animals.
The shell is thick and its aperture has small serrations internally. Because of the shell’s color pattern and shape resembling a coffee bean, this species of snail became known as the Coffee Bean Snail.
The coffee bean snail feeds on decaying matter and plants. They also are a significant food source for a variety of species.
Photo Credit: Aymee Laurain
Author: Steven Marquez – Student, Valencia College
Work Cited:
Leal, John H., “The Coffee Melampus.” Bailey-Matthews National Shell
Museum Accessed 25 Nov 2021.
