Spatial variation in adult sex ratio across multiple scales in the invasive golden apple snail,Pomacea canaliculata

Adult sex ratio (ASR) has critical effects on behavior and life history and has implications for population demography, including the invasiveness of introduced species. ASR exhibits immense variation in nature, yet the scale dependence of this variation is rarely analyzed. In this study, using the generalized multilevel models, we investigated the variation in ASR across multiple nested spatial scales and analyzed the underlying causes for an invasive species, the golden apple snail Pomacea canaliculata. We partitioned the variance in ASR to describe the variations at different scales and then included the explanatory variables at the individual and group levels to analyze the potential causes driving the variation in ASR. We firstly determined there is a significant female‐biased ASR for this species when accounting for the spatial and temporal autocorrelations of sampling. We found that, counter to nearly equal distributed variation at plot, habitat and region levels, ASR showed little variation at the town level. Temperature and precipitation at the region level were significantly positively associated with ASR, whereas the individual weight, the density characteristic, and sampling time were not significant factors influencing ASR. Our study suggests that offspring sex ratio of this species may shape the general pattern of ASR in the population level while the environmental variables at the region level translate the unbiased offspring sex ratio to the female‐biased ASR. Future research should consider the implications of climate warming on the female‐biased ASR of this invasive species and thus on invasion pattern.     

干燥方式对尾巨桉树皮提取物总三萜含量及其杀螺活性的影响

为探讨干燥方式对尾巨桉树皮提取物总三萜含量的影响和其杀螺作用机理,实验以尾巨桉树皮为研究对象,比较鼓风干燥和冷冻干燥两种干燥方式对其树皮乙醇提取物总三萜含量及杀螺活性的影响。结果表明,当乙醇体积分数为60%时,鼓风干燥和冷冻干燥的尾巨桉树皮乙醇提取物中总三萜含量最高,分别为10.81%和13.90%。两种干燥方式得到的尾巨桉树皮乙醇提取物对福寿螺均有较强的毒杀活性,在50mg/L的浓度下处理72h,福寿螺的死亡率分别到达93.1%和100.00%;同时尾巨桉树皮提取物还能显著抑制福寿螺离水上爬,抑制效果优于同浓度下的对照药剂茶皂素(P<0.05)。与空白对照组相比,经鼓风干燥的尾巨桉树皮提取物处理后,福寿螺头足和肝脏的蛋白质含量变化不大(P>0.05);经过冷冻干燥的尾巨桉树皮提取物处理后,福寿螺头足中蛋白质含量显著降低(P<0.05),而肝脏中蛋白质含量无明显变化(P>0.05)。鼓风干燥和冷冻干燥的尾巨桉树皮提取物均可有效抑制福寿螺头足部中LDH、AKP和AST/GOT的活性(P<0.05)以及肝脏中ALT/GPT和AST/GOT的活性(P<0.05)。冷冻干燥的尾巨桉树皮提取物中三萜含量以及杀螺活性均高于鼓风干燥的树皮提取物。     

Pallial oviduct of Pomacea canaliculata (Gastropoda): ultrastructural studies of the parenchymal cellular types involved in the metabolism of perivitellins

Seasonal variations in the morphology of the parenchymal mass and function of the albumen gland/capsule gland complex have been studied in Pomacea canaliculata, together with the cellular types involved in the synthesis and secretion of perivitellin fluid components. The two major parenchymal cell types, albumen secretory cells (AS) and labyrinthic cells (LC), undergo seasonal variations throughout the annual reproductive cycle, which is divided into three periods. Both cellular types show maximal development and structural complexity during the reproductive period (spring and summer). AS cells have a well-developed Golgi complex and rough endoplasmic reticulum and their secretory granules show electron-dense particles of about 20 nm (probably galactogen). These cells are uniquely involved in ovorubin and PV2 perivitellin synthesis and their secretory granules are the single storage site for these two major perivitellins, as revealed by immunoelectron microscopy. AS also possess calcium deposits that infiltrate the cytoplasmic matrix. The luminal surfaces of LC exhibit long cilia intermingled with sparce short microvilli. Basally, the plasma membrane shows deep irregular folds that extend through the cytoplasm up to the subapical region. Calcium deposits infiltrate the cytoplasm and accumulate in the extracellular space of the basal labyrinth. Nerve terminals seem to be involved in the regulation of parenchymal cell secretion. At the post-reproductive period, AS markedly change their aspect following the release of most of the secretory granules into the acinar lumen. LC decrease in volume, the number of their cilia decreases, their cytoplasmic folds are much thinner and their extracellular spaces lack calcium particles. At the pre-reproductive period (winter), AS and LC recover and prepare for the subsequent period.This work was partially supported by grants from CIUNT, CONICET, CIC, ANPCyT and Fundación Antorchas (Argentina). R.J.P. is member of Carrera del Investigador, CIC (Bs. As.), Argentina. H.H. and M.S.D. are members of CONICET (Argentina).     

Alarm response of hatchlings of the apple snail, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pomacea canaliculata</Emphasis> (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae), to aqueous extracts of other individuals

We examined how hatchlings of the freshwater snail, Pomacea canaliculata, responded to aqueous extracts of conspecific hatchlings. Three, 3-day-old hatchlings were macerated in deionized water (1mg hatchling per 1ml water). When 0.5ml of the aqueous extract was added to a test tube containing 10 hatchlings of the same age and 50ml of water, the hatchlings in the water began to crawl out of the water within 5min. The proportion of hatchlings that crawled out of the water approached 0.6–0.9 after 1h, but gradually decreased to 0.4 after 24h. The relatedness between the live and the macerated hatchlings had no significant influence on the response. Hatchlings of egg masses obtained either in the laboratory or in the wild responded similarly to aqueous extracts of hatchlings from either egg mass. This suggests that the conditions under which the egg masses were incubated or the conditions that their parents had experienced had no effect on the hatchlings response. When compared with experiments reported on other aquatic animals, we consider the behavior of the hatchlings to be an alarm response of escaping from predators.     

Lantana camara Essential Oils from Vietnam: Chemical Composition,Molluscicidal, and Mosquito Larvicidal Activity

Lantana camara is a troublesome invasive plant introduced to many tropical regions, including Southeast Asia. However, the plant does hold promise as a source of essential oils that may be explored for potential use. Fresh water snails such as Pomacea canaliculata, Gyraulus convexiusculus, and Tarebia granifera can be problematic agricultural pests as well as hosts for parasitic worms. Aedes and Culex mosquitoes are notorious vectors of numerous viral pathogens. Control of these vectors is of utmost importance. In this work, the essential oil compositions, molluscicidal, and mosquito larvicidal activities of four collections of L. camara from north-central Vietnam have been investigated. The sesquiterpene-rich L. camara essential oils showed wide variation in their compositions, not only compared to essential oils from other geographical locations (at least six possible chemotypes), but also between the four samples from Vietnam. L. camara essential oils showed molluscicidal activities comparable to the positive control, tea saponin, as well as other botanical agents. The median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) against the snails were 23.6–40.2 μg/mL (P. canaliculata), 7.9–29.6 μg/mL (G. convexiusculus), and 15.0–29.6 μg/mL (T. granifera). The essential oils showed good mosquito larvicidal activities with 24-h LC₅₀ values of 15.1–29.0 μg/mL, 26.4–53.8 μg/mL, and 20.8–59.3 μg/mL against Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The essential oils were more toxic to snails and mosquito larvae than they were to the non-target water bug, Diplonychus rusticus (24-h LC₅₀=103.7–162.5 μg/mL). Sesquiterpene components of the essential oils may be acting as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. These results suggest that the invasive plant, L. camara, may be a renewable botanical pesticidal agent.     

广东省福寿螺形态性状变异及其与体质量的关系

【背景】福寿螺是危害极其严重的入侵我国的水生生物,目前利用相关分析、通径分析对福寿螺形态性状变异的研究较少。【方法】随机采集7个地区的福寿螺(雌雄比例差别很大),测量其壳高、壳宽、口宽、层高4个形态性状和体质量,采用相关分析、通径分析方法计算福寿螺的各形态指标变异系数、相关系数和通径系数,剔除对体质量影响不显著的指标,确定每个地区与体质量最相关的指标。【结果】除惠州之外,其余地区福寿螺的壳高和壳宽与体质量的相关性较高,且口宽与壳高共同作用对体质量的直接影响很大。【结论与意义】此结果为研究不同生境、不同温度下福寿螺的形态性状变异程度奠定了基础,同时为福寿螺形态鉴定、分类及其灾害预测预报提供了基础数据。     

常用萃取剂提取福寿螺卵中类胡萝卜素的初步研究

【背景】福寿螺为世界性恶性入侵水生动物,也是我国公布的第一批外来人侵物种之一。福寿螺大量啃食为害水稻、茭白、白莲等重要农作物,对我国南方各省农业生产造成了巨大威胁,因此,预防和控制福寿螺灾害显得尤为重要。合理利用福寿螺能有效控制福寿螺的数量和危害,是生物防治的一个重要部分。福寿螺卵中含丰富的类胡萝卜素,充分利用螺卵中的类胡萝卜素能拓展福寿螺的利用途径和方法。【方法】为探寻福寿螺卵中类胡萝卜素的提取方法,本研究采用甲醇、无水乙醇、丙酮、乙酸乙酯、二氯甲烷、石油醚等6种常用萃取剂提取福寿螺卵中类胡萝卜素,用紫外可见光分光光度计测定其含量。【结果】结果显示,不同萃取剂中类胡萝卜素的提取量不同,醇类为较适合的提取液（甲醇〉无水乙醇〉丙酮）。【结论与意义】本研究对福寿螺卵中类胡萝卜素的提取方法进行了探索和研究,找出了合适的提取液,为拓展福寿螺的利用途径,以及福寿螺的综合防治提供了参考。     

Angiostrongylus cantonensis: experimental study on the susceptibility of apple snails, Pomacea canaliculata compared to Pila polita

Six groups (15 snails/group) of Pomacea canaliculata and Pila polita were infected orally with 0 (control), 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 first-stage Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae (L1). The respective mean+/-SD third stage larvae (L3) worm recovery 1-month post-infection (p.i.) for P. canaliculata was 0, 1.4+/-5.42 (0.7%), 0.13+/-0.35 (0.03%), 0.07+/-0.26 (0.009%), 0.07+/-0.26 (0.004%), 0, and for P. polita 0, 64.33+/-21.38 (32.25%), 115.36+/-36.82 (28.93%), 265.33+/-90.01 (33.27%), 471.33+/-92.98 (29.60%) and 849.00+/-243.23 (26.61%). The susceptibility of A. cantonensis in P. polita was dose-dependent (p<0.001). In the three groups (nine snails/group) of P. polita given 500 L1, we studied the distribution of L3 in the internal organs (i.e., foot, head+esophagus, kidney, albumin gland, mantle, intestine, digestive gland) and found the highest density after 1, 2 and 3 months p.i. in the mantle at 29.37%, 31.09% and 37.45%. The infection rate in P. canaliculata was too low to study distribution rates.