Melanoides tuberculata: The history of an invader

VOGLER, R.E.; NÚÑEZ, V.; GUTIÉRREZ GREGORIC, D.E.; BELTRAMINO, A.A.; PESO, J.G.

Libro: Snails: Biology, Ecology and Conservation

Nova Science Publishers, Inc

Lugar: Hauppauge, NY; Año: 2012; p. 65 - 84

The thiarid snail Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) has demonstrated an impressive capacity to invade a range of tropical and subtropical aquatic ecosystems. This species exhibits characteristics often mentioned to increase invasion ability. It is an ovoviviparous species with parthenogenetic reproduction and it has life history traits characteristic of "r" strategists (early maturity, relative short life span, iteroparity and high fecundity). This is a euryoic species, but temperature may be an important determinant of its distribution. Melanoides tuberculata has been reported in literature as a nuisance species in some tropical fish aquaria and in rice paddies, and invading the heat exchanger of an electric power-plant, causing complete clogging of the filters. Molecular studies suggest an Asian origin for numerous morphs of this species, followed by introduction to both Africa and America (from northern Argentina to southeast USA). The New World was invaded several times by several morphs of M. tuberculata from a large number of Old World sources. These morphs currently coexist and new morphs were created in situ by hybridization (as a consequence of rare events of sexual reproduction), and there is evidence of competitive replacement between them. In some places, no impact associated with this species on the native molluscan fauna has been observed, but in Brazil and Argentina, preliminary data indicate that native populations of the Thiaridae were replaced by populations of M. tuberculata. Although M. tuberculata is used as a control of schistosomiasis (by competitive replacement of the planorbid Biomphalaria glabrata), it also plays an important role, as an intermediate host, in the epidemiology of several trematode species which can be harmful to a number of vertebrate species, including man. Despite the importance of this species (it can cause ecological risks, health and economic), much remains yet to be known and done to prevent its spreading. The summarized information of M. tuberculata in this chapter is expected be useful to shed light on this species, propose new hypotheses, and to design plans to control the invasion and its consequences.