Ciclo de vida e biologia comportamental de Rumina decollata Linnaeus, 1758 (Mollusca, Subulinidae) em laboratório

Abstract

The phylum Mollusca is composed by several species that are largely used in many economic sectors such as food and public health. Because of it, there was a dissemination of alien species among several parts of the world, what make necessary the knowledge of life cycle and behavior in the regions of introduction of these species, in order to predict possible damages to native fauna and flora. These studies are also important to the development of control strategies in case of populations increase, turning a species into a pest, besides, its is useful tin case of using a species as biological control. Rumina decollata (Linnaeus, 1758) is a land snail from Mediterranean area that was introduced in the North of USA to control populations of Helix aspersa Müller, 1774 in citrus sp plantations, however, occurred an overpopulation that lead to a prohibition of R. decollata entrance and rearing in this country and nowadays, the species is found in South America in Argentina and Brazil. There is a lack of studies that describe the behavioral biology and the lifecycle of this species in Brazil, despite its occurrence in some districts of the country. This study was realized in order to clarify biological traits such growth, reproduction and behavior of this species in laboratory conditions. For life cycle assay, snails were created grouped (10 snails/ group) and isolated (30 snails 1/goup). To analyze growth patterns, snails were weighted and measured every month. The isolation was to verify the occurrence of self-fertilization and to compare the time to onset sexual maturity, fecundity and egg hatchability. Results showed that snails grouped and isolated differed in growth between 0 and 60 days, with high rate to isolated snails. There was stabilization that characterize determinate growth pattern that differ from other subulinids. Weight was significantly different, with higher rates to grouped snails. It was not observed mortality in isolated snails during the observation period. The reaching of maturity occurred from 90 days for grouped snails and from 120 days to isolate. It was verified selffertilization, although the cross fertilization seems to be the pattern what can be confirmed by the higher number of viable eggs. It was evidenced that R. decollata showed differences in its biology when compared to studies realized in other regions. To describe behavior of juvenile and adult individuals, it was used 30 snails of each age, observed for 24 hours by the scan samplé method. Adult and juvenile were more active during nocturnal period, with only one act (“Interact”) significantly different during the 24 hours, with more interaction between adults. Adult and juvenile showed difference in the acts “Feed” and “Dislocate” in two and three different hours in nocturnal period respectively. It was not observed influence of relative air humidity, but there was a correlation between mean temperature and the activity of adult and juvenile snails. Such results demonstrate that the activity period of R. decollata is alike to other terrestrial snails, including subulinids. The difference between behavioral displays of juvenile and adults indicate the occurrence of niche differentiation.