Effect of the invasion history of the giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica) on its realized climatic niche

There is almost a century of difference among Indo‐Malayan, Australasian, and Neotropical regions in establishment of non‐native populations of the giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica). Using potential distribution models and environmental principal component analysis (PCA‐env), we first tested whether an expansion of the realized climatic niche of L. fulica occurred. The models showed geographical differences between the native and non‐native areas, especially in the Neotropical region, where the last introduction of mollusks occurred. Because PCA‐env showed a 60% expansion and 40% overlap between the native and global areas, we next investigated whether the expansion of the realized climatic niche of L. fulica was influenced by its geographical spread. Precipitation had the highest contribution in most models, but temperature was the variable that best explained the projected spread from the current Neotropical distribution. The current Neotropical distribution was better explained when the climatic conditions of the Indo‐Malayan and Australasian regions from which the species arrived in the Neotropics were included. PCA‐env showed 74% expansion between the native and Indo‐Malayan–Australasian areas and 97% expansion between the native and Neotropical areas. In conclusion, the spread between biogeographic regions and the existence of similar climatic conditions between the native and non‐native distributions would produce the observed climatic niche of L. fulica. El establecimiento de las poblaciones no nativas del caracol gigante africano (Lissachatina fulica) lleva casi un siglo de diferencia entre las regiones indo‐malaya, australiana y neotropical. Utilizando modelos de distribución potencial y análisis de componentes principales (PCA‐env), comprobamos primero si se produjo una expansión del nicho climático realizado de L. fulica. Los modelos mostraron diferencias geográficas entre las zonas nativas y no nativas, especialmente en la región neotropical, donde se produjo la última introducción de la especie. Dado que el PCA‐env mostró una expansión del 60% y un solapamiento del 40% entre las áreas nativa y no nativa, investigamos si la expansión del nicho climático realizado de L. fulica está influida por su dispersión. La precipitación tuvo la mayor contribución en la mayoría de los modelos, pero la temperatura fue la variable que mejor explicó la expansión proyectada desde la distribución neotropical actual. La distribución neotropical actual se