The ecology of Australorbis glabratus in Puerto Rico.

Variations in the distribution of the water-snail Australorbis glabratus, intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, have been studied in Puerto Rico, and an attempt made to correlate the distribution with environmental factors. The main sources of bilharziasis infection are flowing waters, but the evidence indicates that the snail is not found in fast-flowing, high-gradient reaches with falls of more than 20 meters per kilometre. The influence of physiographical features on stream gradient is examined and these findings correlated with the biota, water chemistry and human use of the stream. The alluvial areas of the island have many habitats favourable to A. glabratus and constitute the major foci for the transmission of bilharziasis. In general, artificial reservoirs and puddles do not appear to be suitable habitats for the snail. The numerous sink ponds in the Tertiary limestone area on the north coast contain the snail, yet the area is relatively free from bilharziasis, possibly because the ponds are little used.Although the size of A. glabratus populations is limited by many natural enemies, no organism has been found which could be deemed useful for artificial control. Some migratory birds, insects and amphibians may aid the dispersal of the snail. There are indications that the ionic composition of the water may be an important factor in limiting the distribution of A. glabratus. It is suggested that large amounts of carbonates and bicarbonates relative to the amounts of chlorides and sulfates may account for the absence of the snail from some habitats (e.g., limestone streams) and that copper and zinc may be limiting agents in some waters containing small amounts of dissolved solids. Concentrations of 0.050-0.100 p.p.m. of zinc, copper, cadmium or silver in distilled water produce a distress syndrome in the snails, and concentrations of more than 1.0 p.p.m. are rapidly fatal in most cases.