ON THE EXPERIMENTAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SOME HYGROMIINAE (MOLLUSCA, STYLOMMATOPHORA) SPECIES, AS INTERMEDIATE HOSTS OF NEOSTRONGYLUS LINEARIS(NEMATODA, PROTOSTRONGYLIDAE)

The experimental susceptibility of Portugala inchoata, Euomphalia(M.) brigantina, Ponentina ponentina, Hygromia (P.) cantabricacantabrica and Hygromia (P.) cantabrica covadongae to Neostrongyluslinearis larvae were studied for the first rime. The total numberof molluscs used in the infections was 207 and they were killedin series between day 6 and SO post-infection. In order to definethe suitability of the molluscs as intermediate hosts for thisparasite, the number of L-I that penetrated the foot and developedto L-I, L-Il and L-III has been taken into account, as wellas the first days on which the different stages were observed One way analysis of variance showed statistically significantdifferences for the penetration and development of the larvaeamong the species of molluscs examined Statistically significant differences concerning the susceptibilityof the adult and young examples of P. inchoata and E. (M.) brigantinato N. linearis were confirmed by using the chi-square test The most susceptible species of molluscs to N. linearis usingexperimental infections were in decreasing order: P. inchoata,E.(M.) brigantina, H. (P.). caniabrica covadongae, P. ponentinaand H. (P.) caniabrica cantabric ^*This work was supported, in partt, by both the C.A.I.C.Y.T.(Project number 142/83) and C.S.I.C. (211) (Received 12 March 1987;