Snails (Mollusca) diversity and its distribution in various type of microhabitats

Abstract

Snails have some preferences in the way they choose to inhabit and multiply in certain areas. Therefore, a study was conducted to study the microhabitats that influence snail diversity. A total of nine species of 581 snails were collected and examined comprising both terrestrial and freshwater species. The number of snails found in each habitat was significantly different across all locations except for the habitat of the living plant. The water that exists in the sampling areas was examined and only water pH was found to have a positive relationship with the number of snails, (r=0.573, P<0.05). The dissolved oxygen has a significantly negative relationship with the total number of snails collected (r=-0.776, P<0.01). Besides, the relationship between vegetation species present in the area with several snails was also studied. The Macrochlamys sp. have a significant positive relationship with vegetation species Mikania micrantha, Vigna sp. and Panicum repens, (r=0.710, P<0.01), (r=0.714, P<0.01) and (r=0.710, P<0.01), respectively. These grasses are preferred by the Macrochlamys sp. snails probably due to the high ability of the grasses to absorb nutrients from the soil and their high tolerance to herbicides. Besides, these grasses could survive throughout the year despite extreme conditions and for that reason, they can serve the nutrients that snails needed.