Bulimulus tenuissimus (d'Orbigny, 1835) is a land snail of parasitological importance with a poorly understood biology. The goal of this laboratory study was to determine development and reproductive patterns in B. tenuissimus. Recently hatched individuals in seven groups of 10 were maintained in the laboratory for two years. To test for self-fertilization, 73 additional individuals were isolated. After 180 days the isolated snails showed no signs of reproduction. Subsequently, 30 of these snails were paired to test fertility. We noted the date and time of egg-laying, the number of eggs produced, the number of egg-layings per individual, the incubation period and hatch success. This species shows indeterminate growth. Individuals that were maintained with others, as compared to isolated individuals, laid eggs sooner, laid more eggs and had a greater hatching success. This species can self-fertilize, however, with lower reproductive success. Bulimulus tenuissimus has a well-defined reproductive period that is apparently characteristic for this species.

No abstract

The aim of this study was to establish reference concentrations (LC 50 e LC 90 ) of aqueous extracts of Bidens pilosa on the land snail Subulina octona, in order to assess the changes caused by 24 and 48 h exposure to the sublethal concentration regarding species' fecundity, hatchability and in offspring produced after exposure to confirm the presence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids in this plant species. Eggs newly hatched and 30 day-old snails were exposed to sublethal concentration, calculated for adults. The phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, condensed tannins and saponins in the aqueous extract of B. pilosa. The LC 50 and LC 90 obtained were 51.4mg/mL and 74.1mg/mL respectively. The exposure to sublethal concentration reduced significantly the hatchability and the survival of the offspring hatched from exposed eggs and also caused a reduction on survival and growth in snails exposed for both time period. The exposure time also caused a reduction at the evaluated parameters.

In the present study populations of the avian nematode species Baruscapillaria obsignata are described from Columba livia. Male and female individuals were obtained from 27 birds, fixed in alcohol/formalin/acetic acid (AFA) and preserved in 70% ethanol. Nematodes were identified and then counted under a stereoscopic microscope. Baruscapillaria obsignata were much more frequent in the anterior third of the small intestine, and females were more abundant than males in all infra populations. The prevalence was 55.6%, mean intensity was 11.8 (median 11.0; range 1-31) and abundance 6.56. In the present study, we observed an aggregated distribution of parasite infrapopulations, as demonstrated by the value of the exponent of the negative binomial distribution, K = 0.2773; by the discrepancy index, D = 0.656 and by the variance/mean ratio, 12.44. The female/male sex ratios found in all infrapopulations were always greater than 1, showing a bias in favour of female abundance. This tendency was especially marked in infrapopulations containing fewer individuals. The sizes of infrapopulations ranged from 5 to 31 individuals. The mean sex ratio observed was 2.69 ± 3.28 (median 1.83; range 0-11). In infrapopulations with 5-15 individuals, the sex ratios observed varied from 2.6 to 11, while in those with 17-31 individuals, the sex ratios were lower, ranging from 1.7 to 2.4. There was a negative correlation between the intensity of infection and the sex ratio of infrapopulations. Results are discussed in terms of possible factors influencing the processes that lead to niche restriction and biased sex ratios in parasite infrapopulations.

Habroconus semenlini is a micro-terrestrial gastropod native to South America. There are no previous studies on its biology. We studied its pattern of growth, fertility and lifespan under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, 80 snails were either grouped or kept isolated (40 animals in each condition) during their lifetime. Growth is indeterminate and the species is capable of self-fertilization with high reproductive success. Grouped snails had lower fecundity than the animals that were kept in isolation. This species has a short lifespan and only one reproductive period, which characterizes the occurrence of semelparity.

RESUMO.O conhecimento dos aspectos biológicos e morfológicos dos moluscos terrestres é importante para o desenvolvimento de medidas de controle de pragas e de estratégias de conservação de espécies. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar os padrões de biologia e conquiliomorfometria de Dysopeas muibum Marcus & Marcus, 1968 e verificar o efeito do isolamento sobre seu ciclo de vida e a morfometria da concha, em condições de laboratório. Foi realizado o acompanhamento do crescimento da concha, da liberação de filhotes e da mortalidade de 80 moluscos, dos quais 40 foram mantidos isolados e 40 agrupados (10 moluscos por grupo) em condições naturais de temperatura, umidade relativa e fotoperíodo, desde o nascimento até 180 dias de vida, quando então foram aferidas as medidas da concha. Os moluscos foram criados em terrários plásticos vedados com tecido de algodão e elástico, tendo como substrato terra vegetal esterilizada e alimentados com ração para frangos enriquecida com carbonato de cálcio. Foi verificado que os indivíduos possuem a concha pequena, alongada e são capazes de se reproduzir por autofecundação. Possuem crescimento indeterminado, iteroparidade, baixa mortalidade antes e após a maturidade sexual e a fecundidade aumenta de acordo com o tamanho corporal. O isolamento atuou na fecundidade, embora não tenha influenciado o crescimento, o alcance da maturidade sexual, a relação crescimento-reprodução, a mortalidade e a conquiliomorfometria. PALAVRAS-CHAVE.Reprodução, Gastropoda, morfometria, concha.ABSTRACT. Life cycle of Dysopeas muibum (Mollusca, Subulinidae) in laboratory: effect of isolation on biological and conquiliomorphometric patterns. The knowledge of biological and morphological characteristics of terrestrial molluscs is important for the development of pest control measures and strategies for the conservation of species. This study aimed to characterize the patterns of biology and conquiliomorphometrics of Dysopeas muibum Marcus & Marcus, 1968 and check the effect of isolation on its life cycle and morphometric of the shell, under laboratory conditions. We conducted monitoring growth of the shell, release of puppies and mortality of 80 molluscs, of which 40 were kept isolated and 40 grouped (10 molluscs per group) in natural conditions of temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod, from birth to 180 days of life, when the measures of the shell were taken. The molluscs were reared in plastic terrariums sealed with cotton fabric and elastic, containing plant soil sterile, and fed with food to broilers enriched with calcium carbonate. It was found that the species has small and elongated shell, and is able to reproduce by self-fertilization. It has indeterminate growth, iteroparity, low mortality before and after sexual maturity and fecundity increases with body size. The isolation acted on fertility, although it has not influenced the growth, reach sexual maturity, growthreproduction relation, mortality and conquiliomorfometrics.