Life table and demographic parameters of the Neotropical apple snail Asolene platae (Caenogastropoda, Ampullariidae)

TIECHER, MARÍA JOSÉ; MARTÍN, PABLO RAFAEL; BURELA, SILVANA; BURELA, SILVANA; SEUFFERT, MARÍA EMILIA; SEUFFERT, MARÍA EMILIA; TIECHER, MARÍA JOSÉ; MARTÍN, PABLO RAFAEL

AMERICAN MALACOLOGICAL BULLETIN

AMER MALACOLOGICAL SOC, INC

Año: 2017 vol. 35 p. 119 - 125

0740-2783

Apple snails are regarded as invasive or potentially problematic species but some 25 species may be under threat. Life tables are a useful tool to understand the growth potential 26 of freshwater snail populations. Our aim was to estimate the demographic parameters of the 27 Neotropical apple snail Asolene platae to allow a quantitative comparison with invasive 28 apple snails like Pomacea canaliculata. Life tables were calculated for three laboratory 29 cohorts breeded at 25ºC. Life expectancy rises abruptly up to 32-37 months after a period 30 of high post-hatching mortality of one month. The reproductive value peaked at 15-19 31 months for two cohorts and at 33 months in the other one. The net reproductive rates (R0), 32 generation times (GT) and intrinsic rates of increase (r) were as 55.86 hatchlings, 25.7 33 months and 0.188 month-1 on average, respectively. Among freshwater snails there is a 34 clear inverse relationship between r and GT while R0 has a minor positive influence. The 35 values of GT and r for A. platae are among the highest and lowest, respectively, calculated 36 for freshwater snails at 24-26ºC. These low values of r under optimum conditions indicate a 37 relatively low potential of A. platae populations to increase in new habitats or to recover 38 from disturbances.