Terrestrial gastropods as Fragaria x ananassa pests in southern Brazil: morphological identification

Abstract

Considering the damage caused by terrestrial gastropods in strawberry producing areas in southern Brazil, this study aimed to i) identify the species associated with Fragaria x ananassa in rural properties in municipalities of Paraná State, Brazil; ii) describe and illustrate the diagnostic morphological and conchology features of the mollusk species; iii) construct an illustrated key based on these morphological and conchology features; iv) analyze two species collected in March 2017 to investigate the possible occurrence of parasitic nematodes of medical importance. Taxonomic determination of the mollusks was performed through morphological analysis of samples, and parasitological analysis was carried out using artificial digestion. The following gastropod species were identified: Bradybaena similaris (Bradybaenidae), Rumina decollata (Subulinidae), Deroceras leave (Agriolimacidae), Limacus flavus (Limacidae), and Meghimatium pictum (Philomycidae). Rumina decollata, L. flavus,and M. pictum were recorded for the first time as damaging strawberries in Brazil. No larvae of medical or veterinary importance, associated with samples, were reported. The main diagnostic features are described and illustrated. Besides, the potential of the gastropods as crop pests and vectors of nematodes associated with zoonotic diseases are discussed. Results can facilitate identification of gastropod species in strawberry crops and provide background information for future studies on bioecology and pest control.

Diversity and abundance of terrestrial molluscs and their associated nematode fauna in urban kitchen gardens in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Due to the food preferences and voracity of these animals, which are mostly herbivores, they often become agricultural pests, with the potential to generate major impacts on this productive sector (Barker 2002, Thomé et al 2006, Baronio et al 2014, Landal et al 2019, Marchi et al 2021. Terrestrial molluscs may also present certain risks to the health of humans and domestic animals, given that some species act as intermediate hosts of nematodes that cause parasitosis (Valente et al 2020).…”

Contributions of climate and Brassica oleracea cultivar to gastropod abundance and assemblage in southeastern Brazil

“…Previous studies have reported positive (Morii et al, 2018) and negative (Pearson et al, 2006) effects of temperature on gastropods, whereas rainfall and high relative humidity have been consistently reported to favour molluscs (Morii et al, 2018;Resende et al, 2020). In Brazil, studies on seasonality and main drivers of gastropod abundance on arable crops are scarce, even though economic losses caused by these organisms have increased in recent years (Landal et al, 2019). Knowing the periods most favourable for gastropod occurrence could assist growers in the planning of scouting and control measures (Farias, Santos, Ribeiro, et al, 2020).…”