[Experimental taxonomy of Bulinus (Gastropoda:Planorbidae). VI. The possibility of using enzyme characteristics for the distinction between the species Bulinus liratus and Bulinus obtusispira in Madagascar].

Based on a study of one laboratory culture of each of the three species Bulinus forskalii, B. obtusispira and B. liratus it is shown that the two last mentioned species differ in enzyme mobility in seven out of eight enzymes investigated. It is pointed out, that, prior to using enzyme characters for identification purposes, a study of the intra- and interpopulation variation should be carried out. It is mentioned, that the difference in absolute mobility, the quality of the bands and the price for the enzyme stainings should be taken into consideration, when enzymes are used for identification of Bulinus species. For the specific problem of separating B. liratus and B. obtusispira it is suggested to study the intra- and interpopulation variation in the enzymes alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucose isomerase, hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and esterase-d with the aim of finding one or more enzymes usable for distinguishing these two, morphologically similar, species.