Radix natalensis | |
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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 | |
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 |
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This article incorporates CC-BY-3.0 text from the reference. [4]
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 | |
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 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This article incorporates CC-BY-3.0 text from the reference. [4]