| Oncomelania hupensis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Littorinimorpha |
| Family: | Pomatiopsidae |
| Genus: | Oncomelania |
| Species: | O. hupensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Oncomelania hupensis Gredler, 1881 | |
Oncomelania hupensis is a species of very small tropical freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Oncomelania hupensis has been found in China, Taiwan, and also in Japan, the Philippines, and on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. [1]
Over the past a few decades, the taxonomy of Oncomelania hupensis has been a dispute due to the variation in morphological characters such as shell sculpture, operculum etc. Phenotypically, Oncomelania hupensis can be separated into ribbed- and smooth- shelled morphotypes. In China, the typical morphotype of Oncomelania hupensis is ribbed-shelled, and its distribution is restricted to Yangtze River basin. Smooth-shelled snails are also distributed in mainland China, but are considered the same species and subspecies of Oncomelania hupensis. [1]
Oncomelania hupensis reported in other Far East countries are smooth-shelled, and have been considered either as subspecies of Oncomelania hupensis or independent species in this genus. [1]
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There are 4 subspecies of Oncomelania hupensis in China: hupensis, robertsoni, tangi and guangxiensis. [6] [7]
Genetic confirmation of these four Chinese subspecies: Based on shell form, biogeographical and allozyme data, Davis et al. (1995) [8] distinguished 3 subspecies of the Oncomelania hupensis in mainland China. [1] However, Zhou et al. (2008) [9] separated the Oncomelania hupensis guangxiensis out from Oncomelania hupensis tangi based on allozymes and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), which was verified recently by Li et al. [10] with internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 16S fragments.
It is believed that continuous control efforts, such as routine molluscicides in China, which have been used to control snails for about fifty years, might have imposed some effect on population genetics of these snails. [1]
The complete mitochondrial genome of Oncomelania hupensis was released in 2010. [11]
It is seasonally amphibious species which lives in lakes and on marshy ground. [12]
The habitats of Oncomelania hupensis in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River include lake/marshland regions and hill regions, both of which have extensive physical connections with the Yangtze River through channels or in low floodplains beside the Yangtze River. With frequent floodings of the Yangtze River, snails in these habitats can be dispersed and subsequently deposited widely in various localities. The accumulation of mixed sources of snails can then generate genetically diversified populations of snails, leading to the existence of various haplotypes. [1]
In Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni are distributed in mountainous areas, and are not subjected to flood influence as much as in the middle and lower reaches of the river. [1] It is interesting to see that a relatively lower number of haplotypes were found in this region as compared with Oncomelania hupensis hupensis. [1] It appears likely that there has been certain degree of isolation for these mountainous populations. [1]
This freshwater snail is significant medically, because it is an important vector of parasitic infection in the tropics and subtropics. It can serve as vectors for two serious human diseases: the schistosomiasis blood fluke parasite, and the paragonimus lung fluke parasites.
Oncomelania hupensis is the unique intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum , [7] [13] which causes schistosomiasis endemic in the Far East, and especially in mainland China. Oncomelania hupensis largely determines the parasite's geographical range. [1] Disinfesting Oncomelania hupensis, Japan has completely overcome Schistosoma japonicum.
Schistosoma is a genus of trematodes, commonly known as blood flukes. They are parasitic flatworms responsible for a highly significant group of infections in humans termed schistosomiasis, which is considered by the World Health Organization to be the second-most socioeconomically devastating parasitic disease, with hundreds of millions infected worldwide.
Schistosoma japonicum is an important parasite and one of the major infectious agents of schistosomiasis. This parasite has a very wide host range, infecting at least 31 species of wild mammals, including nine carnivores, 16 rodents, one primate (human), two insectivores and three artiodactyls and therefore it can be considered a true zoonosis. Travelers should be well-aware of where this parasite might be a problem and how to prevent the infection. S. japonicum occurs in the Far East, such as China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Oncomelania is a genus of very small tropical freshwater snails, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Schistosoma malayensis is a schistosome parasite. It was first described in 1988 in Peninsular Malaysia and appears to be a zooenotic infection. The species is named after the country of Malaysia. The natural vertebrate host is van Müller's rat. The intermediate hosts are aquatic snails, Robertsiella kaporenisis. Among Robertsiella kaporenisis are two other Roberstiella species.
Eomecon is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the poppy family containing the single species Eomecon chionantha. Its common names include snow-poppy and dawn-poppy. It is native to China.
Tricula is a genus of freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Pomatiopsidae is a family of small, mainly freshwater snails, that have gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Truncatelloidea.
Neotricula aperta is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks that live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs to major rivers. The great majority of freshwater gastropods have a shell, with very few exceptions. Some groups of snails that live in freshwater respire using gills, whereas other groups need to reach the surface to breathe air. In addition, some are amphibious and have both gills and a lung. Most feed on algae, but many are detritivores and some are filter feeders.
Biomphalaria straminea is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ram's horn snails.
Tricula hortensis is a species of freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Blanfordia is a genus of terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae. They are land snails which have an operculum.
Fukuia integra, also known as Blanfordia integra, is a species of land snail which has an operculum, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Erhaia is a genus of small to minute freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Amnicolidae.
Neotricula is a genus freshwater snails which have a gill and an operculum, gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Neoprososthenia is a genus of freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Pomatiopsidae.
Parafossarulus striatulus is a species of freshwater snail with gills and an operculum, an aquatic prosobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Bithyniidae.
This article incorporates CC-BY-2.5 text from references. [1] [2]
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