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Small but diverse: larval trematode communities in the small freshwater planorbids Gyraulus albus and Segmentina nitida (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) from the Ruhr River, Germany

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Abstract

In contrast to the well-studied trematode fauna of lymnaeid snails, only little is known about the role of small planorbid snails as first intermediate hosts for trematodes in temperate freshwater systems. This study aims at closing this gap by assessing the diversity and composition of larval trematode communities in Gyraulus albus and Segmentina nitida in a Central European reservoir system, and by providing an updated comprehensive review of the published trematode records of these snail hosts. A total of 3691 planorbid snails (3270 G. albus; 421 S. nitida) was collected in three consecutive years from four reservoirs of the River Ruhr catchment area in Germany. Gyraulus albus showed a higher overall trematode prevalence (11.7%) and more diverse trematode fauna (12 species) compared to S. nitida, which harboured three species and showed a lower trematode prevalence (1.7%). Altogether, 13 trematode species belonging to four families were identified in both hosts. Seven trematode species encountered in this study represent novel records for these hosts, and/or constitute first records of these larval stages from Germany. Trematode component communities in G. albus were stable across seasons and years, indicating excellent conditions for trematodes in this snail host and the continuous presence of the final hosts of the most dominant trematode species. Overall, this study reveals the importance of small planorbid snails, in particular G. albus, as first intermediate hosts for a species-rich trematode fauna in European freshwater systems, and highlights the parasites’ contribution to the ecosystem’s biodiversity.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Jana Köchling and Verena Altmann for their assistance during sampling; Aneta Kostadinova, Anna Faltýnková and Simona Georgieva for their help with species identification; and Blanka Škoríková and Jonas Heidebrecht for their kind help with the figures. We thank two anonymous reviewers for providing helpful feedback that improved this manuscript. JS received a research grant from the University of Duisburg-Essen. CS received a postdoctoral fellowship from the North-West University (2016-2017) and a postdoctoral fellowship by the German Research Foundation (DFG, SE 2728/1-1). MS benefited from the Czech Science Foundation (project P505/12/G112) and Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences (RVO: 60077344).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 5, 45141, Essen, Germany

    J. Schwelm & B. Sures

  2. Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    J. Schwelm & M. Soldánová

  3. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    T. Vyhlídalová

  4. Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, 2006, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa

    B. Sures

  5. Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

    C. Selbach

  6. Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    C. Selbach

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  1. J. Schwelm
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  2. M. Soldánová
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Correspondence to J. Schwelm.

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Schwelm, J., Soldánová, M., Vyhlídalová, T. et al. Small but diverse: larval trematode communities in the small freshwater planorbids Gyraulus albus and Segmentina nitida (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) from the Ruhr River, Germany. Parasitol Res 117, 241–255 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-017-5699-0

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