Comments on Some Problems of Taxonomy of Oncomelania
CJpn. J. Parasitol, Vol. 34, No. 2, 93-100, April, 1985] Comments on Some Problems of Taxonomy of Oncomelania Zai-bin KANG (Received for publication ; May 17, 1982) Key words: history, species, chromosome number, hybridization test, morphological characteri stics, integrative characteristics. Oncomelania It is well-known that Oncomelania snails omelanian into three genera, eighteen species are the intermediate host of Schistosoma ja- and two subspecies on the basis of such stru ponicum, which is Asian pandemic. The ctures as shell, operculum, radula, etc., pus geographical distribution of schistosomiasis hed the history of oncomelanian taxonomy cases entirely corresponds to that of Oncome into a period of enormous splitting. Later, lania snails. According to surveys made in Abbott recombined all oriental oncomelanians various endemic foci, wherever cases of sch (Continental parts as well as Taiwan Prov istosomiasis were found Oncomelania snails ince of China, Japan and Philippines) into were invariably present. But the taxonomy one genus, 4 species and one subspecies, and of those snails has been in a chaotic state thus brought about a period of enormous for a long time. In this paper, the writer merging. The result of all these revisions dwells on the following seven points. It is was that some investigators began to be ske hoped that the present work will serve as a ptical about the reliability of the basis of reference to further study on these snails. oncomelanian taxonomy ; some of them even 1. A confused history of oncomelania ta went so far as to negate entirely the taxono- xonomy : It has been 103 years since the mical basis heretofore adopted, yet they did identification of Oncomelania hupensis by Gr- not offer a solution.
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