Succinea Putris Research Articles

First occurrence of the European Terrestrial Flatworm, Microplana terrestris (Müller OF, 1773) (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae), in Maritime Canada

The first Canadian Maritime occurrence of the European terrestrial flatworm, Microplana terrestris (Müller OF, 1773), is confirmed via genetic barcoding. Microplana terrestris was observed on the soil surface in a rural garden in Tantramar, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, in November 2021, 2022 and 2023. In addition to confirming identity, barcoding also confirmed M. terrestris diet at the site included earthworms, Aporrectodea sp., and the Common Amber Snail, Succinea putris Linnaeus, 1758. Future barcoding efforts should prove to be a useful approach to providing a more detailed understanding of diet in M. terrestris and other terrestrial flatworms, and their impact on associated soil fauna. Further reporting of non-native terrestrial flatworms in Canada could perhaps be enhanced through citizen-based science monitoring. Key Words: Aporrectodea sp., citizen science, diet, flatworm, invasive species, Microplana, New Brunswick, Succinea putris

Development and reproduction of sporocysts of Leucochloridium paradoxum (Trematoda)

AbstractWe studied the development of sporocysts of the trematode Leucochloridium paradoxum. For this purpose, their life cycle was traced experimentally. Eggs obtained from adult trematodes raised in chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) were used to infect snails (Succinea putris, laboratory strain). Histological studies of sporocysts were conducted for 95 days after exposure. During this time, the embryos of sporocysts developed into a small stolon filled with numerous metacercarial embryos. We found that miracidia hatched in the stomach and in the proximal part of the snail's midgut. After the larvae migrated into the area of the hepatopancreas, their body was destroyed, and germinal cells were released. They cleaved to form the embryos of sporocysts, in which only metacercarial embryos developed. Our study showed that these trematodes lack the parasitic phase of the mother sporocyst and have only one generation of parthenitae, the daughter sporocysts.

Species-Level Taxonomy and Diversity of Freshwater and Terrestrial Snails, and First Report of Pseudonapaeus pretiosus and Succinea putris in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and Evaluation of their Role as Hosts of Trematode-Borne Infections

Species-Level Taxonomy and Diversity of Freshwater and Terrestrial Snails, and First Report of Pseudonapaeus pretiosus and Succinea putris in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and Evaluation of their Role as Hosts of Trematode-Borne Infections

Survey and population dynamics of land snails at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

Land snails are a destructive agricultural pest in economic crops, but the populations for that pest are highly influenced by temperature and humidity, therefore climatic changes affected their behavior, distribution and population dynamics, for these reasons researchers should follow up on the changes in their behavior, distribution, and population dynamics. In this study, a survey study was conducted to define land snail species existing at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, from January 2019 to March 2022 in horticultural, vegetable, and field crops and study the population dynamics for the dominant land snail species. Results showed that there are six species of land snails, these species were, Monacha cartusiana, Succinea putris, Eobania vermiculata, Theba pisana, Helicella vestalis, and Cochlicella acuta. The population dynamics of two prevalent land snail species (M. cartusiana and S. putris), were conducted during two successive growing seasons, the Egyptian clover harbored the highest number of M. cartusiana followed by wheat, while the onion was the lowest one during the study period. In the same trends, the land snail S. putris recorded the highest numbers during the growing season of the Egyptian clover crop. Finally, it is concluded that the land snail M. cartusiana considered the first grade of infestation existed everywhere at Sharkia Governorate, and the population density of the land snail is increase gradually after winter till reach the maximum density in spring.

Finding of an Unusually Colored Sporocyst of the Genus Leucochloridium in a Succinea putris Snail

—A Leucochloridium sp. Carus, 1835 sporocyst with a mature colored broodsac was found in a Succinea putris L., 1758 snail in the Boksitogorsk district of Leningrad Region (Russia). The pigmentation of the sporocyst’s broodsac was different from those of other Leucochloridium Carus, 1835 species previously described for Europe. The obtained sporocyst is most similar by the coloration of its broodsac to the trematodes of the same genus from Japan. The genotyping of the investigated sporocyst by the rDNA gene fragments (complete ITS1, ITS2, 5.8S and partial 18S and 28S sequences) was conducted. Genetic distances between the obtained sporocyst and the previously described species of the genus Leucochloridium were higher than intraspecific ones in the most cases. These data and the data of morphological analysis imply that the investigated sporocyst belongs to a separate species of the Leucochloridium genus, previously not described in the European region.

The pupil of the camera-like eyes of terrestrial gastropod mollusks (Heterobranchia, Stylom-matophora)

In terrestrial pulmonate gastropods Cochlodina laminata, Monachoides incarnata, Helicigona lapicida, Arianta arbustorum, Cepaea hortensis, Trochulus hispidus and Succinea putris, the morphological properties of the pupil of camera-like eyes were studied for the first time: location, spatial orientation, change in spatial orientation, structure, shape, shape change, relative size, change in relative size. Several methods were used in the work: making of preparations of isolated eyes, making of histological preparations of eyes, light microscopy, morphometric analysis, statistical analysis, calculations. All the studied morphological properties of the pupil of the camera-like eyes of C. laminata, M. incarnata, H. lapicida, A. arbustorum, C. hortensis and T. hispidus are similar to the analogous morphological properties of the pupil of the camera-like eyes of other species of terrestrial pulmonates. One of the studied morphological properties of the pupil of the camera-like eye of S. putris – the relative size – differs from the analogous morphological property of the pupil of the camera-like eyes of other species of terrestrial pulmonates.

Genotypic and morphological diversity of trematodes Leucochloridium paradoxum.

The sporocysts of the trematode Leucochloridium paradoxum parasitise land snails Succinea putris. The sporocysts form broodsacs whose tegument contains green and brown pigments. The colouration changes during maturation. The pattern and colour of the broodsacs may vary in different individuals and sometimes even in one sporocyst. We studied the broodsacs of 253 sporocysts of L. paradoxum collected in the European part of Russia and Belarus, and identified four main colouration types. An analysis of genetic polymorphism by a fragment (757 bp) of the mitochondrial cox1 gene revealed 22 haplotypes. Using the nucleotide sequences of the cox1 gene fragment of L. paradoxum from Japan and Europe available in GenBank, we constructed haplotype networks. A total of 27 haplotypes were identified. The haplotype diversity of L. paradoxum by this gene was rather low, on the average 0.8320. A low genotypic diversity by the mitochondrial marker is consistent with rDNA conservativeness of Leucochloridium spp. noted previously. The most broadly represented haplotypes, Hap_1 and Нap_3, were described in both sporocysts and adults of L. paradoxum. We suggest that the mobility of birds, which are the definitive hosts of L. paradoxum, provides the necessary conditions for the genotypic diversity of its sporocysts parasitising different populations of snails Succinea putris.

Analysis of the adventitious fauna of terrestrial molluscs in the centre of the Russian Plain

The terrestrial mollusc fauna of the central part of the Russian Plain has been analysed with respect to its species composition and the proportion of adventitious species. The classification of adventitious species follows that accepted in Russia. Considerable changes in the fauna took place in the period 2016–2020. Helix lucorum Linnaeus and Cornu aspersum (O. F. Müller) were added to the terrestrial malacofauna of the area. Within the last four years, Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon colonised anthropogenic habitats and its spread continues. Krynickillus melanocephalus Kaleniczenko, Arianta arbustorum (Linnaeus), and Helix pomatia Linnaeus are now firmly established in natural ecosystems. Populations of A. vulgaris, K. melanocephalus, and A. arbustorum have become so abundant that now they cause significant damage to agricultural crops. In both natural and anthropogenic habitats K. melanocephalus and A. arbustorum displace Succinea putris (Linnaeus), Deroceras laeve (O. F. Müller), D. sturanyi (Simroth), D. invadens Reise, Hutchinson, Schunack et Schlitt, 2011, D. agreste (Linnaeus), D. reticulatum (O. F. Müller), Fruticicola fruticum (O. F. Müller) and Euomphalia strigella (Draparnaud). Interactions between invasive species are discussed. The proportion of alien species in several European countries and in Central Asia is compared.

Stable isotope analysis suggests low trophic niche partitioning among co‐occurring land snail species in a floodplain forest

AbstractLand snails are abundant invertebrates in many terrestrial ecosystems, playing an essential role in food webs and nutrient cycling. Although snails are commonly considered general grazers with a strong tendency to omnivory, their foraging strategy is well documented only for a few species. Virtually no data exist on trophic niche partitioning within snail assemblages. To fill this gap, we analyzed naturally occurring stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N), an approach widely applied in ecological research, but only rarely in terrestrial snail studies. We collected ten individuals of the dominant co‐occurring land snails (i.e., Aegopinella nitidula, Fruticicola fruticum, Oxyloma elegans, Succinea putris, Trochulus villosulus and Zonitoides nitidus) in a floodplain forest floor, along with their potential food sources and other invertebrates. All species, except for A. nitidula, showed high intraspecific variation in isotope signatures, indicating their opportunistic feeding behavior. Such a high intraspecific variation combined with the active movement range of all the species allows switching between food sources based on their accessibility. We observed that the trophic niches of the studied species highly overlapped, except for Z. nitidus. This suggests that trophic niche compartmentalization among co‐occurring species does not seem to be the mechanism to avoid competition for food. Virtually unlimited resources for snail food are assumed to explain the coexistence of many species in high‐density populations. Our results add to this concept of assembly rules in snail species by the finding of highly variable and overlapping trophic niches among the majority of the studied species.

Over 40 years with jumping spiders: on the 70th birthday of Wanda Wesołowska.

Professor Wanda Wesołowska (maiden name Nowysz)-an internationally recognised expert in the taxonomy of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)-was born in Włocławek (Central Poland) on 11 August 1950. Wanda spent her youth and received her primary and secondary education in Szczecin (NW Poland). After finishing school in 1968, she entered the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where she studied biology. Wanda graduated with a MSc degree in 1973. Her thesis was devoted to birds and was titled "Observations on the water and marsh birds on the storage-reservoir on the Vistula river near Włocławek during migration seasons". This research was published as a scientific paper (Nowysz-Wesołowska 1976). Thus, Wanda began her scientific career with research on birds, an interest that is not uncommon among arachnologists (e.g., Pontus Palmgren, Michael I. Saaristo and Eugène Simon). This passion was shared with her future husband Tomasz Wesołowski. While still a student, Wanda undertook several regional field trips and published four papers on birds, with most of them being co-authored with Tomasz (Nowysz Wesołowski 1972, 1973a,b; Nowysz 1973). Recently, Wanda and Tomasz celebrated the 40th anniversary of their marriage with another joint paper devoted to the ecology of the fluke Leucochloridium and its effect on the behaviour of the snail Succinea putris (Wesołowska Wesołowski 2014). Wanda and Tomasz have one daughter, Olga, who currently works at the Department of Biophysics and Neurobiology at the Wrocław Medical Unversity (Poland), and a grandson, Mikołaj.

Study of the proliferative activity of hemolymph cells in pulmonate molluscs

Hemocytes, the cell of the hemolymph, play a key role in the immune response of pulmonate molluscs to various pathogens including trematode infection. The number of hemocytes is known to increase after immunization but the mechanism of their multiplication remains debatable, proliferative capacity being the stumbling block. Some scientists consider that hemocytes may proliferate, while others think that their multiplication is only possible in special hematopoietic centres. In this work we studied the proliferative activity of hemocytes in five species of pulmonate molluscs: Biomphalaria glabrata, Planorbarius corneus, Planorbis planorbis, Lymnaea stagnalis and Succinea putris. ImageStream technique was used for the study of the hemocyte populations of these molluscan species for the first time. The hemocytes of all the studied species were represented by two main types, granular cells and hyalinocytes. Microscopic and flow-cytometric study of the hemocytes with the use of EdU revealed some EdU-positive cells. However, the analysis of the cell cycle of the hemocytes showed that the amount of DNA in these cells was not increased. Thus, it remains unclear whether the cells of the hemolymph retain the capacity to multiplication.

An analysis of morphological and molecular genetic characters for species identification of amber snails Succinea putris (Succineidae)

An analysis of morphological and molecular genetic characters for species identification of amber snails Succinea putris (Succineidae)

Survey, Population Dynamics and Estimation of Damage of Common Land Snail Species on Some Vegetable Plants and Egyptian Clover at Some Regions at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate

Survey and population dynamics were carried out in two regions, Abu-Abdalla village, Sedi Salem District and Salait village, Quallen district at Kafr El- Sheikh Governorate during two successive seasons from 2015to2017 on egyptian clover, lettuce, and cabbage. The survey revealed the existence of four species of land snails, Monacha cantiana, Succinea putris, Theba pisana and Cochlicella acuta were predominant on egyptian clover and two vegetables crops. The population densities of these land snail species were studied on soil, stems and leaves of studied plants. The results showed that the highest population was recorded on leaves under field of vegetable plants during spring seasons except cabbage at Abu Abdalla, Sedi Salem district in 2015 and 2016. T.pisana presented in Lettuce and and Cabbage on Abu-Abdella village and was absent on all vegetable crops on the second village. while M. cantiana ,C.acuta and S.putris snails were recorded with highest numbers on Egyptian clover. On the other hand, S. putris was in heavy infestation on lettuce and cabbage in the two regions. The damage caused by different snail species M. cantiana and S. putris was studied on Egyptian clover.

SURVEY AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF SOME LAND SNAILS INFESTING DIFFERENT PLANT HOSTS AT SHARKIA GOVERNORATE.

The present investigation concerned to study some ecological, aspects of terrestrial snails infesting different plant hosts viz, some field, vegetable, horticultural, ornamental and aromatic plant crops at Sharkia Governorate. A randomly survey carried out to detriment the incidence of land snail species at different area i.e., Hehia, Belbies, Meniat Elkamh, Abou Hammad and Zagazig districts at . Results revealed that three species of land snails belonging to three families of order: Stylommatophora were found. The snails and their families were Family: Hygromiidae (Monach cartusiana), Succineidae (Succinea putris) and Helicidae (Eobania vermiculate). The recorded snails’ species were varied in their incidence and it’s level of infestation according to the location and host plants. M. cartusiana was dominant comparing with the other species; it was recorded in all surveyed area. M. cartusiana recorded the highest level and infestation on Egyptian clover (+++), Brood peen (+++) and cabbage (+++), especially at Hehia districts. The recorded land snail's species could be ranked according to their incidence in studied areas as following: M. cartusiana > S. putris > E. Vermiculate. However there were many studies conducted on the Population dynamic of snails M. cartusiana and E. Vermiculate at Sharkia Governorate, so snail of S. putris was subjected to study this fenomena in this investigation Results indicated that, S. putris was recorded on Egyptian clover with high density during spring months (March, April and May) throughout two successive seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at Hehia and Belbies distracts. Population density of S. putris slightly increased to reach its peck (27.8 and 35 individual) & (37.4 and 42.4 individual) during April of growing season 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at Hehia and Belbies districts respectively.

Efficiency of Certain Bio-Agents as Biological Control against Two Land Snail Species, Eobania Vermiculata (Müller) and Succinea Putris (Linnaeus) under Laboratory Conditions

Efficiency of Certain Bio-Agents as Biological Control against Two Land Snail Species, Eobania Vermiculata (Müller) and Succinea Putris (Linnaeus) under Laboratory Conditions

MALACOFAUNA OF THE KIVACH STRICT NATURE RESERVE

The malacofauna of the Kivach Strict Nature Reserve was studied. In total, 25 species of mollusks were found. This number included terrestrial gastropods 9 species, aquatic pulmonate gastropods 9 species, prosobranch gastropods 2 species, bivalves 5 species. For eight species the nature reserve's territory is close to the northern limit of their distribution in European Russia, and for two species it is close to the southern limit. Among the terrestrial gastropods one species (Arion subfuscus) prefers forest habitats; one species (Succinea putris) prefers living on wet land, but is also found in water on the trunks and branches of submerged trees; one species (Deroceras reticulatum) is synanthropic, found only in a residential area; and the rest prefer open sites. All the aquatic gastropods found in the nature reserve live in stagnant or slow-flowing water bodies. All the observed species of bivalves belong to the superfamily Unionacea. Three species live in lakes and river pools with slow stream. Two bivalve species (Unio crassus and Margaritifera margaritifera) inhabit rapids in the Suna River. The latter two species are red-listed. In fact, the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera used to inhabit the Suna River in the past but went extinct as a result of human activities. The present-day population of M. margaritifera includes 400 individuals. These mussels were translocated from the Nemina River within the program for restoration of this species. A list of species of mollusks described from Karelia but not found in Kivach nature reserve is presented. It is quite likely, however, that some of these species do inhabit the territory of the reserve. This is especially so for small bivalves of the family Sphaeriidae. The resultant species list can serve as a starting point for further investigations of the reserve's malacofauna.

Occurrence of the Common Amber Snail Succinea Putris (L.) (Gastropoda: Styllomatophora) on Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia Japonica [Houtt.] Ronse Decraene) in Slovenia - Possible Weed Biocontrol Agent?

Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica is one of the most troublesome invasive alien plant in Europe and North America. In 2012 we started monitoring for possible indigenous natural enemies of Japanese knotweed in Slovenia. In Zgornji Log, near Litija (46°4′38.09″N, 14°49′31.65″E; 245 m) on the river Sava, we recorded several plants of F. japonica damaged by the common amber snail Succinea putris. In this paper we discuss the possibility of the biological control of Japanese knotweed with S. putris.

Multiple infection of amber Succinea putris snails with sporocysts of Leucochloridium spp. (Trematoda).

Amber Succinea putris snails were collected in the Leningrad Region (Russia). Some of them were infected with trematodes Leucochloridium paradoxum, Leucochloridium perturbatum and Leucochloridium vogtianum. One snail had triple infection with all these species. Genotyping of sporocysts by ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 nucleotide sequences of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and phylogenetic analysis were performed. The results confirmed the species identification of sporocysts of Leucochloridium based on the shape and colour of mature broodsacs. Sporocyst broodsacs could leave the host snail on their own, remaining viable in the environment for up to an hour. This ability of sporocysts may prevent the excessive infection of the molluscan host.

Do snails eat exotic plant species invading river floodplains?

Exotic invasive plants are known to decrease mollusc species richness and also abundances of many snail species. However, there is not much evidence on how invasive plants influence snail trophic behaviour. In this study, food preferences of alluvial land snails for invasive plants were studied. Two snail species (Succinea putris and Urticicola umbrosus) that commonly climb up invasive plants were chosen for food preference experiments. The five most widespread exotic plant species invading river floodplains in Central Europe (Impatiens glandulifera, Helianthus tuberosus, Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis and F. bohemica) and one native species (Urtica dioica) were chosen as food for the snails. Results of the study confirmed a broadly accepted opinion, that land snails prefer senescent to fresh plant material. The climbing efforts of the alluvial snails is therefore not for the purpose of foraging. The most important factors for snail food preferences were plant species identity and leaf condition. The exotic plants were consumed to different extent, probably due to differences in defence mechanisms. The highest consumption was recorded for H. tuberosus and U. dioica, which are protected on their surface by trichomes. Plants of the genus Fallopia, containing various secondary metabolites and high content of lignin, were mostly rejected. The native food source U. dioica did not change the preferences of the land snails when offered together with the invasive plants.

Transmission patterns of Fasciola hepatica to ruminants in Sweden

Transmission patterns of Fasciola hepatica were investigated on beef cattle (n=3) and sheep (n=3) farms in Sweden between 2011 and 2012. The dynamics of fluke infection, particularly estimated time of infection, were screened each grazing season by ELISA detection of antibodies in lambs (n=94) and first grazing season calves (n=61). Colostral transfer of F. hepatica antibodies from seropositive ewes was detected in sheep up to 11 weeks of age. In sheep, the estimated time of infection differed significantly between herds and years. Typical ‘winter infection’ was observed on two sheep farms in 2012, but the most prevalent transmission pattern was found to be ‘summer infection’, characterised by infection of animals in late summer by F. hepatica originating from overwintered and/or spring-excreted eggs. In contrast, beef calves were infected mainly in September–October (‘summer infection’). Furthermore, lymnaeid and succineid snails were collected on the pastures used by these animals both in spring and in the autumn each year. In total, 1726, 588, 138, 130, 93 and 42 specimens of Galba truncatula, Lymnaea palustris, Lymnaea glabra, Lymnaea fuscus, Radix peregra and Succinea putris, respectively, were collected and identified. These were subsequently examined for the presence of F. hepatica DNA by species-specific PCR and the findings compared against mean monthly rainfall and temperature data for each farm. The main intermediate host of the liver fluke was G. truncatula, with a prevalence range of F. hepatica infection from 0% to 82%. Only 1 out of 42 terrestrial S. putris tested positive for F. hepatica, casting doubt on the role of this species in transmission of F. hepatica in Sweden. In conclusion, two main peak periods of infection were observed: May–June (from overwintered infected snails=‘winter infection’) and August–September (from metacercariae developed and produced by snails during summer=‘summer infection’). The occurrence and frequency of ‘winter infection’ were dependent on local environmental factors such as snail habitat availability or grazing behaviour of animals, rather than on climatic factors.