DISTRIBUTION AND DIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER SNAILS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE IN KUBANNI RESERVOIR AND WEIR/SEDIMENT TRAP, ZARIA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Due to survival of intermediate hosts of parasites causing schistosomiasis and fascioliasis under changing environmental conditions, this research was conducted to investigate the distribution and diversity of freshwater snails between March and June, 2017. Physico-chemical parameters were analyzed according to the standard operating procedures for examination of water and wastewaters. Snails were sampled using an Ekman grab from different sites in each reservoir, counted and identified using standard identification guide. A total of 108 snails were collected and identified in Kubanni reservoir comprising Biomphalaria sp. (48.15%), Lymnaea sp. (39.81%) and Bulinus sp. (12.04%). While in Weir, 141 snails which comprised Biomphalaria sp. (53.19%), Lymnaea sp. (24.11%) and Bulinus sp. (22.70%) were collected. Shanon-Weiner diversity index for Kubanni and Weir were 0.97 and 1.02 respectively. Variation in physico-chemical parameters between the reservoirs shows no significant difference (P>0.05), except for electrical conductivity (EC; p-0.0015), total dissolved solid (TDS; p-0.0016), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD; p-0.0004) and concentration of phosphate (PO4.-0.026) The three snail species obtained were common to the two reservoirs; however species diversity is higher in Kubanni reservoir than Weir. The presence of these snails in the two reservoirs could pose a serious threat to humans coming in contact with these reservoirs, in their role as intermediate hosts of parasites that causes schistosomiasis and fascioliasis.