- Dona Paula, Goa, India.
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- iiosc2020[at]nio[dot]org
| Abstract Submission No. | ABS-2022-06-0036 |
| Title of Abstract | Population of Cerithiid gastropod and their parasitic trematode on mudflats of Goa- India. |
| Authors | Ranjana Yadav*, Nanajkar M |
| Organisation | National Institute of Oceanography |
| Address | National Institute Of Oceanography Dona Paula, Goa, India Pincode: 403004 Mobile: 8093664215 E-mail: yadav.ranjana124@gmail.com |
| Country | India |
| Presentation | Oral |
| Abstract | Gastropods belonging to family Cerithiidae comprise of 219 species, primarily distributed in tropical to warm temperate regions worldwide. Cerithiid gastropods are mostly detritivores thus actively forage on organic matterand therefore occupy intertidal mudflats. They serve as first intermediate obligatory host of several species of parasitic trematodes. With complex life cycle, trematodes have multiple hosts and cerithiid gastropods play a crucial role as they are the obligatory hosts and the influence of parasitism affects both the populations in terms of their behaviour, physiology and efficiency in terms of ecosystem functions. Analysis of cerithid populations and presence of any trematode parasitism was investigated for tropical intertidal snails, Cerithiidea sp., on the representative mudflats of Mandovi and Zuari estuary from west coast of India. The preliminary measurements carried out were total length of the cerithiid individual, thickness of whorl, eroded shell, biomass, sex ratios, infection rates by parasites and their stages. The results suggest a very patchy distribution of Cerithiid populations on mudflats and a significant difference in shell size was noted between the sites.Cerithiidsex ratio was 3:2 wherein males were significantly infected by trematodes. Parasitism was highin larger snails of more than 20mm length with thickened lips and eroded shells. The overall infection rate of 6.03% in Mandovi estuary and 8.5% in Zuari estuary was noted with complete castration of gonads having abundance of 18816 trematodes per host. This abundance was together for two stages of parasites that included sporocyst and cercaria stage. This high trematode infection to cerithiid gastropods on the mudflat and its effect on the overall ecosystem functioning requires further studies. |