Interactions between St. Lucian Biomphalaria glabrata and Helisoma duryi, a possible competitor snail, in a semi-natural habitat.

Abstract

In artificial drains similar to those used in banana culture on St. Lucia, Helisoma duryi, the rams-horn snail, controlled Biomphalaria glabrata, intermediate host of schistosomiasis on that island. Time required for elimination of B. glabrata depended on environmental temperature and numbers of H. duryi initially introduced in the drains. Best fit to the data was given by the equation for the logistic curve rather than by an equation for unlimited growth. Multiple regression analyses of natality and mortality rates of both species of snails indicated that populations of B. glabrata were regulated by temperature rather than by density-dependent means while numbers of H. duryi were strongly influenced by numbers of rams-horn snails already present in the drains. Fitting of snail shell growth to von Bertalanffy equations showed that H. duryi shell diameter was uninfluenced by environmental temperatures or presence of B. glabrata while growth of the intermediate host was strongly affected both by temperature and numbers of H. duryi.