Lymnaea viatrix and Lymnaea columella in the neotropical region: a distributional outline

Abstract

A review of lymnaeid samples collected by the author from 106 localities in Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay andBrazil showed that one of them (from Ecuador) belonged to Lymnaea cousini Jousseaume, 1887, and all the others to either L. viatrix Orbigny, 1835 or l. columella Say, 1817. The ranges of L. viatrix and L. columella overlap in Middle America, and in northern and southern South America (Venezuela-Colombia-Ecuador and northeastern Argentina-Uruguay-southernmost Brazil, respectively). L. viatrix was the only species found in Peru west of the Andes and in Chile, and is supposed to have migrated eastward to Argentina via the Negro river basin. The range of L. columella in South America is discontinuous. The species has been recorded from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador and, east of the Andes, from latitudes 15º S (central-west Brazil) to 35º S (La Plata, Argentina). Such a gap may be attributed to either introduction from the northern into the southern area, or migration along the unsampled region on the eastern side of the Andes, or extinction in the now vacant area. No lymnaeids have been found so far in Brazil north of latitude 15º S and in the Guianas.<br>A revisão de amostras de limneídeos coletados pelo autor em 106 localidades no México, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, República Dominicana, Porto Rico, Martinica, Santa Lúcia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, Equador, Peru, Bolívia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguai e Brasil mostrou que uma delas (do Equador) pertencia a Lymnaea cousini Jousseaume, 1887, e que todas as outras pertenciam a L. viatrix Orbigny, 1835 ou a L. columella Say, 1817. As distribuições da L. viatrix e da l. columella sobrepõem-se na Meso-América e na América do Sul setentrional (Venezuela-Colômbia-Equador) e meridional (nordeste da Argentina-Uruguai-extremo sul do Brasil). A L. viatrix foi a única espécie encontrada no Peru, a oeste dos Andes, e no Chile,parecendo ter migrado na direção leste para a Argentina através da bacia do rio Negro. A distribuição de L. columella na América do Sul é descontínua. Tem sido encontrada na Venezuela, Colômbia e Equador e, a leste dos Andes, entre as latitudes 15º S (Centro-Oeste do Brasil) e 35º S (La Plata, Argentina). Esse hiato na distribuição pode ser atribuído à introdução da espécie do norte para o sul, ou à migração ao longo da faixa não estudada no lado leste dos Andes, ou à extinção na área atualmente vaga. Até agora não foi registrada a presença de limneídeos no Brasil ao norte da latitude 15º S e nas Guianas

Aspects of the Maintenance of the Life Cycle of Fasciola hepatica in Lymnaea columella in Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…There are more than 20 species in the genus, many of which transmit F. hepatica and F. gigantica (Rey 1991). The geographical distribution of lymnaeid snails in Brazil is very wide, these mollusks are found in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas and Bahia (Paraense 1982a(Paraense , b, 1983(Paraense , 1986. Among the species that transmit F. hepatica in Minas Gerais is L. columella (Say, 1817), which occurs throughout the state (Souza et al 1998).…”

Detection of Lymnaea columella infection by Fasciola hepatica through Multiplex-PCR

“…viatrix (Orbigny, 1835). The distribution of L. columella in South America has been reported in Venezuela, Colombia, and Equator, to the Andes east (Paraense 1982a). Prepelitchi et al (2003) reported the first evidence of natural infection of L. columella with F. hepatica in Argentina.…”

Molluscicidal action of the latex of Euphorbia splendens var. hislopii N.E.B. ("Christ's Crown") (Euphorbiaceae) against Lymnaea columella (Say, 1817) (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae), intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica Linnaeus, 1758 (Trematode: Fasciolidae): 1- test in laboratory

“…In Brazil, the snail Lymnaea columella (Say, 1817) is the most relevant intermediate host of F. hepatica, as a result of its wide distribution and because its occurrence is almost always associated to the disease (Rezende et al 1973, Gonzales et al 1974, Paraense 1982, Gomes et al 1985, Amato et al 1986.…”