The channeled applesnail, one of 50 species of Pomacea, is a relatively new invader established in four states: Texas, Florida, California, and Hawaii. Additionally, evidence of channeled applesnail shells has been reported in North Carolina. A native of South America, the channeled applesnail (Pomacea canaliculata) was introduced to Taiwan, the Philippines, and other countries in Southeast Asia in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a food item. The culinary demand for the species did not materialize and it was not long before the channeled applesnail escaped captivity, decimating rice fields of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines.

The species was introduced in the U.S. to Hawaii in 1989 with damage to taro (elephant ear) and rice crops reported. The channeled applesnail was also documented in Florida and California with little ecological damage and no agricultural damage reported. In July 2000 an established, reproducing population of channeled applesnail was found in an irrigation canal southeast of Houston, Texas. In June 2001, floods from Tropical Storm Allison increased the distribution of the channeled applesnail in the Houston area. It has since been found in several other local bayous, ponds, and rice fields.

The channeled applesnail is tolerant of a wide range of salinities and temperatures. It has the ability to forage both in and out of water through the use of a gill and a lung. Egg masses are laid on solid surfaces (e.g. dock pilings, concrete, and plant stems) just above the water line and range in color from bright pink to white depending on the age of the eggs. The channeled applesnail is also a host for the parasitic rat lung worm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), which can infect humans.

The channeled applesnail has a voracious appetite for plants, including aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. It can cause a great deal of damage to aquatic habitat, ornamental plants, and agricultural crops, including taro and rice. The channeled applesnail has the potential to cause economic damage to rice growers in southeast Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi; although none has been reported as of early 2004.

The channeled applesnail is listed as a prohibited exotic species in Texas and Mississippi. It is an invasive species to watch for in the rest of the United States, with early detection and removal being the key to preventing established populations in the wild.