Journal of Survey in Fisheries Sciences 6(2) 17-20 2020

Preliminary Study on Aquatic Snail Species of globosus (Morelet, 1866) (: : ) from Nankumba Peninsula, Cape Maclear Island, South-East Arm of Lake Malawi

Thiruvengadam V.1

Received: May 2019 Accepted: September 2019

Abstract The present investigation of shallow-water gastropod Bulinus globosus is reported on nearshore sites in and around Cape Maclear on the northwestern part of the Nankumba Peninsula, Lake Malawi (part of Lake Malawi National Park) at a depth of 10 M. The present remark focuses on the geographical distribution and habitats of this group and sample have observed in Cape Maclear Island, Republic of Malawi, and Central Africa.

Keywords: Mollusca, Gastropod, Bulinus globosus, , Cape Maclear Island, Malawi

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1- Department of Aquaculture, DMI St. John the Baptist University, Mangochi Campus, Republic of Malawi, Central Africa, *Corresponding author's Email: [email protected] 18 Thiruvengadam, Preliminary Study on Aquatic Snail Species of Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866)…

Introduction note that, in mid-1980’s, he suggested Malawi have unique and rich that the lake started to appear. The biodiversity fauna and flora and present investigation focuses on the different ecosystems which are geographical distribution and habitats attibuted to its diversified environment, of this group and sample have observed loams and topograph, hitherto little is in Cape Maclear Island, Republic of known of their disseminations or Malawi, and Central Africa. habitat relationships. According to Enviromental Affairs Departmant Study Area (2006) was estimated that the fourty The occurrence of the present specimen seven species of the one hundred and Bulinus globosus (Fig. 1) was made on seventy two species of molluscs, nearshore sites in and around Cape tweleve species of reptles, seventen Maclear on the northwestern part of the species of amphibians, exclusively Nankumba Peninsula, Lake Malawi frogs, are endemic to Malawi. Louda et (part of Lake Malawi National Park). al. (1983) has reviewed the Lake The second deepest lake in Africa. It is Malawi were estimated 19 number of third largest lake in the world by species of shallow-water gastropods in volume and the ninth largest by surface which have a marked vertical area. The lake is bordered by western distribution pattern. Brown (1994) have Mozambique, eastern Malawi, and highlighting the members of the genus Tanzania. Five shoreline villages, Bulinus are hermaphroditic planorbid Chembe, Chimphamba, Mvunguti, snails and its genus includes 37 Zambo and Chidzale, are included recognized species distributed in the within enclaves in the park. According trophic/sub-trophbic regions fo the to Centers for Disease Control (2005) world including Africa, Meiterranean has been reported to in and around of and parts of the Middle East countries. Cape Maclear is a World Heritage site Microhabitat studies on the gastropods and is visited by many tourists every variations in abundance has been linked year. Inappropriately, many visitors with physico-chemical parameters, were infected with schistosomes were including pH, dissolved salt reported by United States Centers for concentrations, turbidity, O2, Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) temperature, substrate type and depth- to warn against visiting Lake Malawi.

Downloaded from sifisheriessciences.com at 2:20 +0330 on Friday September 24th 2021 [ DOI: 10.18331/SFS2020.6.2.2 ] wise of Lake Malawi are dealt with by Family: Planorbidae Appleton (1978), Brown (1994), Michel Class: Gastropoda (1994), Stothard et al. (2002). Madsen Genus: Bulinus et al. (2006) has reviewed that the Species: globosus important intermediate host snail, B. Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866) globosus primarily is originate and Bulinus globosus Madsen et al. (2006); spread cape Maclear Island. Interesting 3 Journal of Survey in Fisheries Sciences 6(2) 2020 19

Figure 1: Bulinus globosus

Distribution Conclusion The total length of specimen was 10 cm The new investigation data are required and weighing about 40 gm. Malawi, about the geographical dispersal and South of the Sahara, Southeast Asia, show the status of potential gastropods Middle East, Africa, and South in Cape Maclear island in order to a America (Madsen et al., 2006). The fully empahtetic of the distribution of present specimen spread might also species. Further research is essential occur in Kenya and Tanzanian coastal into its population dynamics and stock regions adjacent. assessment of gastropods and bivalves, ecology (especially in temperature) and Description latent conservation actions also More or less pronounced spiral essential of Cape Maclear Island, Downloaded from sifisheriessciences.com at 2:20 +0330 on Friday September 24th 2021 [ DOI: 10.18331/SFS2020.6.2.2 ] sculpture; full-grown shells 15-20 mm Malawi. high; columella as a rule with a distinct truncation. Clean and fresh shells References usually glossy and of a light brownish Appleton, C.C., 1978. Review of the colour. literature on abiotic factors influencing the distribution and life cycles of bilharzias is intermediate 20 Thiruvengadam, Preliminary Study on Aquatic Snail Species of Bulinus globosus (Morelet, 1866)…

host snails. Malacological Review, Michel, A.E., 1994. Why snails 11, 1–25. radiate: a review of gastropod Brown, D.S., 1994. Fresh Water Snails evolution in long-lived lakes, both of Africa and Their Medical recent and fossil. In Speciation in Importance, 2nd ed.; Taylor and ancient lakes (K. Martens, B Francis: London, UK, 1994. 609P. Gooderis & G. Coulter, Eds), Brown, D.S., 1994. Freshwater snails Advances in Limnology/Archiv für of Africa and their medical Hydrobiologie, Beiheft, 44, 267–283. importance, 2nd edn. Taylor & Morelet, A., 1866. Coquilles Nouvelles Francis, London. 86P. recueillies par le Dr. Fr. Welwitsch Environmental Affairs Department, dans l’Afrique equatoriale, et 2006. National Biodiversity strategy paticulierement dans les provinces and action plan. 130P. portugaises d’Angola et de Louda, S.M., Gray, W.N., McKaye, Benguella. Journal de K.R. and Mhone, O.J., 1983. Conchyliologie 14: 153-163. Distribution of Gastropod Stothard, J.R., Loxton, N.J. and genera over a vertical depth gradient Rollinson, D., 2002. Freshwater snails at Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi, on Mafia Island, Tanzania with special Veliger, 25, 387-392. emphasis upon the genus Bulinus Madsen, H., Stauffer, J.R. Jr., (Gastropoda: Planorbidae). Journal of Makaula, P., Bloch, P., Konings, Zoology, pp. 353–364. A. and Likongwe, J., 2006. Bilharzia in Lake Malawi – What are the facts? 17P.

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