Bithyniid Abundance in the South of Western Siberia Water-Courses and Water Reservoirs (Russia)

Abstract

Gastropoda are an important component of the freshwater benthic communities of Western Siberia and participate in a number of trophic relationships and as the intermediate hosts of trematodes. The purpose of this study is defining the ratio of Bithyniidae mollusks between other gastropods with regard to species diversity, and to compile all information about the abundance of bithyniid snails that we examined over 27 years in four major basins situated in the Novosibirsk region. Analyzing the data diversity and abundance of gastropod communities from freshwater ecosystems south of Western Siberia, we found that 22% of the water bodies contained bithyniid snails. In total, 201 samples that were abundant with bithyniid snails of reproductive age were collected in 34 localities in 25 water bodies. While these freshwater snails are not abundant in most of the inspected reservoirs (fewer than 10 mollusks per square meter), two of the water bodies accommodated a great number of Bithyniidae (more than 100 ind.·m−2). Bithyniid snail abundance may vary tenfold in different years in the same water body. This and the study of seasonal dynamics show that the abundance of bithyniid snails of reproductive age decreased from June to August in all years. The results of this study can be used to identify and predict the natural foci of opisthorchiasis in the south of Western Siberia.

Keywords

• Bithyniidae
• <i>Bithynia tentaculata</i>
• <i>Bithynia troschelii</i>
• Lymnaeidae
• Planorbidae
• Succineidae