School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, 2678, Australia.
School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, 2678, Australia; Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia.
J Invertebr Pathol. 2024 Jun;204:108116. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108116. Epub 2024 Apr 27.
Freshwater snails are integral to local ecosystems as a primary food source for various vertebrate species, thereby contributing significantly to ecological food webs. However, their role as intermediate hosts also makes them pivotal in the transmission of parasites. In Australia, research on freshwater snails has predominantly focused on their role as intermediate hosts for livestock parasites, while there has been limited exploration of the impact of these parasites on snail health and population dynamics. The aim of this study was to determine parasitic infection in freshwater snails. This study was conducted in the south-eastern region of Australia, in 2022. A total of 163 freshwater snails from four different species were collected and examined in the Murrumbidgee catchment area in the southeastern part of Australia during the Southern Hemisphere summer and autumn months (February to May). The species included Isidorella hainesii, Glyptophysa novaehollandica, Bullastra lessoni (endemic species), and Physella acuta (an introduced species). Through the analysis of sequence data from the various regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA, we determined that the Digenea species in this study belonged to three distinct species, including Choanocotyle hobbsi, Petasiger sp. and an unidentified species belonging to Plagiorchioidea. Additionally, analysis of the sequences from Nematoda found in this study, revealed they could be categorized into two separate taxa, including Krefftascaris sp. and an unidentified nematode closely associated with plant and soil nematodes. This research holds significant implications for the future understanding and conservation of Australian freshwater ecosystems. Most parasites found in the present study complete their life cycle in snails and turtles. As many of freshwater snail and turtle species in Australia are endemic and face population threats, exploring the potential adverse impacts of parasitic infections on snail and turtle health, is crucial for advancing our understanding of these ecosystems and also paving the way for future research and conservation efforts. While none of the native snail species in the present study have been listed as endangered or threatened, this may simply be attributed to the absence of regular population surveys.
淡水蜗牛是当地生态系统的重要组成部分，是各种脊椎动物的主要食物来源，因此对生态食物链起着重要作用。然而，它们作为中间宿主的角色也使它们成为寄生虫传播的关键因素。在澳大利亚，对淡水蜗牛的研究主要集中在它们作为家畜寄生虫中间宿主的作用上，而对这些寄生虫对蜗牛健康和种群动态的影响的研究则有限。本研究旨在确定淡水蜗牛的寄生虫感染情况。本研究于 2022 年在澳大利亚东南部地区进行。在澳大利亚东南部的墨累-达令流域，共采集了来自四个不同物种的 163 只淡水蜗牛，并在南半球夏季和秋季（2 月至 5 月）进行了检查。这些物种包括伊西多雷拉·海因斯氏蜗牛、新荷兰圆田螺、贝拉斯特拉·莱索尼（特有种）和扁卷螺（引入种）。通过对核核糖体 DNA 各个区域的序列数据进行分析，我们确定本研究中的吸虫物种属于三个不同的物种，包括霍布斯拟棘口吸虫、巴氏棘口吸虫和一种属于盘旋目吸虫的未鉴定物种。此外，对本研究中发现的线虫序列进行分析，发现它们可以分为两个单独的分类群，包括克雷特斯卡里斯线虫和一种与植物和土壤线虫密切相关的未鉴定线虫。本研究对未来理解和保护澳大利亚淡水生态系统具有重要意义。本研究中发现的大多数寄生虫在蜗牛和海龟中完成其生命周期。由于澳大利亚的许多淡水蜗牛和海龟物种都是特有种，面临着种群威胁，因此探索寄生虫感染对蜗牛和海龟健康的潜在不利影响，对于我们理解这些生态系统以及为未来的研究和保护工作铺平道路至关重要。虽然本研究中没有一种本地蜗牛物种被列为濒危或受威胁物种，但这可能仅仅是由于缺乏定期的种群调查。
