La saison sèche en Guadeloupe et ses conséquences sur la démographie des mollusques dans les biotopes à Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818), vecteur de la bilharziose intestinale

Abstract

Resistance of some freshwater snails to drought has been studied in four seasonal ponds, one (temporary) stream and one «mangrove» area on the island of Guadeloupe, West Indies. In such locations a small percentage of the snail population is able to survive the dry season under the shelter of organic debris and rocks.Biomphalaria glabrata, the local intermediate host of human Bilharziasis, is less resistant to dessication than sympatric Eupera viridans, Biomphalaria schrammi, Drepanotrema lucidum and Ampullaria glauca. Physa marmorata, Drepanotrema kermatoides and Pleisiophysa granulata are even more sensitive to drought than Biomphalaria glabrata.