Jurassic viral gene may have helped apple snails start laying eggs on land

Pomacea canaliculata, commonly known as the apple snail, is a pest commonly found in Hong Kong's wetlands and farmlands.

It feeds on aquatic plants and produces toxic pink egg masses resembling miniature grapes that adhere to plants or stone bunds.

It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) among 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. ...