The predatory activity of Lebistes reticulatus (Peters, 1859) on Schistosoma mansoni miracidia in laboratory experiments.

Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the role of the guppy, Lebistes reticulatus (Peters, 1859), as an active predator on Schistosoma mansoni miracidia. When five guppies were introduced into 3.5 liters of water containing 500 and 1200 miracidia on two corresponding tests, a dramatic reduction in number of miracidia was observed. In one experiment, no miracidia could be found after 60 minutes of exposure. The infection rates of vector snails, Biomphalaria glabrata, exposed to approximately 3000 miracidia in the presence of guppies were also greatly reduced. The results obtained suggest that L. reticulatus is a probable predator of S. mansoni miracidia and may, under field conditions, play an important role as a limiting or interfering factor in the transmission of S. mansoni.