Radix natalensis | |
---|---|
![]() | |
This drawing of the apertural view of a shell of Radix natalensis shows one of the extreme shell forms of this species. [1] | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Superorder: | Hygrophila |
Family: | Lymnaeidae |
Genus: | Radix |
Species: | R. natalensis |
Binomial name | |
Radix natalensis | |
Synonyms [2] | |
See list |
Radix natalensis is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae.
This species occurs widely in Africa. It is a major intermediate host for Fasciola gigantica in Africa. [4] [5] Placement of this species in the genus Radix was confirmed by Correa et al. (2010). [6]
Radix natalensis is a widespread species in Africa, occurring from northern Africa to southern Africa: [2]
The type locality is in "pools in Port Natal", which today is Durban, South Africa. [3]
Radix natalensis was described by the German scientist and traveller Christian Ferdinand Friedrich Krauss in 1848. [3]
The shape of the shell is elongate ovoid. [10] The shell is colorless or light brown in color. [10] The height of the aperture covers about 3/4 of the shell height. [10] The lip of the aperture is thin and sharp. [10] The umbilicus is closed. The width of the shell is about 5.75–7 mm. [10] The height of the shell is 4.6–19.2 mm. [10]
![]() | ![]() |
The reproductive system and radula was described by Wright (1963) in detail. [10]
Radix natalensis lives in permanent water bodies. [2] They prefer clear, slow-running water with low salinity and abundant vegetation. [4] An estimated density of Radix natalensis in a natural habitat in Tanzania was 34 snails per m². [11] The snails lived mainly in the shallow water in depths of 0–4 cm, mainly between 20–30 cm from the shoreline. [11] They prefer plant detritus or bedrock as a substrate. [11]
Laboratory experiments have shown that some larger snails of Radix natalensis can survive on a wooden surface without water for up to 21 days. [8] Some smaller snails of Radix natalensis have survived desiccation on a soil surface up to 60 days on "black" soil. [8] Some smaller snails of Radix natalensis were able to survive for up to 90 days on soil among sedges (Cyperus) or in the "black" soil exposed to sun or in the soil with stones. [8]
This species has been found to be an intermediate host of both Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica . [4] Overall, rates of snail infection vary between 10% and 40%. [4] The highest infection rate was found to be in summer and this may be a factor responsible for lowering snail density in this season. [4] Parasites of Radix natalensis include:
Predators of Radix natalensis include leeches Helobdella nilae and Alboglossiphonia conjugata . [17]
Snails of the non-indigenous species Marisa cornuarietis eliminated Radix natalensis and other two native snail species from a small pond in Tanzania in an experiment in 1982. [18]
Oil extract of the gum myrrh Commiphora myrrha has molluscicidal activity against Radix natalensis. [19] [20]
A cladogram shows the phylogenic relations of species in the genus Radix: [6]
Radix |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fasciola hepatica, also known as the common liver fluke or sheep liver fluke, is a parasitic trematode of the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes. It infects the livers of various mammals, including humans, and is transmitted by sheep and cattle to humans the world over. The disease caused by the fluke is called fasciolosis or fascioliasis, which is a type of helminthiasis and has been classified as a neglected tropical disease. Fasciolosis is currently classified as a plant/food-borne trematode infection, often acquired through eating the parasite's metacercariae encysted on plants. F. hepatica, which is distributed worldwide, has been known as an important parasite of sheep and cattle for decades and causes significant economic losses in these livestock species, up to £23 million in the UK alone. Because of its relatively large size and economic importance, it has been the subject of many scientific investigations and may be the best-known of any trematode species. F. hepatica's closest relative is Fasciola gigantica. These two flukes are sister species; they share many morphological features and can mate with each other.
Fasciola, commonly known as the liver fluke, is a genus of parasitic trematodes. There are two species within the genus Fasciola: Fasciolahepatica and Fasciolagigantica, as well as hybrids between the two species. Both species infect the liver tissue of a wide variety of mammals, including humans, in a condition known as fascioliasis. F. hepatica measures up to 30 mm by 15 mm, while F. gigantica measures up to 75 mm by 15 mm.
Fasciola gigantica is a parasitic flatworm of the class Trematoda, which causes tropical fascioliasis. It is regarded as one of the most important single platyhelminth infections of ruminants in Asia and Africa. Estimates of infection rates are as high as 80–100% in some countries. The infection is commonly called fasciolosis.
Galba truncatula is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Lymnaeidae, common name the pond snails, is a taxonomic family of small to large air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks, that belong to the clade Hygrophila.
Lymnaea is a genus of small to large-sized air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Lymnaeinae ( of the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Lymnaea tomentosa is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae.
Radix is a genus of air-breathing freshwater snails, aquatic pulmonate gastropods in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Pseudosuccinea columella, the American ribbed fluke snail, is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Omphiscola glabra, commonly known as the pond mud snail, is a species of small to medium-size, air-breathing, freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae. Omphiscola glabra is the type species of the genus Omphiscola.
Subulina is a genus of small tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.
Radix auricularia, the big-ear radix, is a species of medium-sized freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae.
Radix luteola is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Lymnaeidae.
Lymnaea acuminata is a species of freshwater snail in the family Lymnaeidae. It is native to South Asia, where it occurs in Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. There it is a widespread and common species.
Galba neotropica is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
Austropeplea viridis is a species of air-breathing freshwater snail, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Lymnaeidae, the pond snails.
This article incorporates CC-BY-3.0 text from the reference. [4]