Ajijola-Alabua, R. I. (Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Lagos State University)
Imeh-John, I.G. (Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Lagos State University)
Okwa, O.O. (Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Lagos State University)
ABSTRACT
This study conducted a malacological and parasitological survey of freshwater snails collected from the Ojo area of Lagos, Nigeria. Focusing on the seasonal distribution and abundance of snails between 2021 and 2022, the research examined nine drainages, seven ponds, and two rivers around Lagos State University (LASU). A total of 100 freshwater snails, including Bulinus truncatus and Segmentorbis kanisaensis, were collected in the late rainy season of 2021, while 35 snails, including Pila ovata, Bulinus senegalensis, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, and Lymnaea natalensis, were collected in 2022. No snails were found during the dry season, suggesting aestivation. Microscopic inspection revealed no parasitic infections in the snails. This study emphasizes the need for health education and proper waste management to reduce the risk of trematode infections transmitted by snail vectors during the rainy season.
Keywords: freshwater snails, parasitological survey, malacology, Pila ovata, Bulinus truncatus, Lymnaea natalensis, trematodes, snail vectors.
