Increased understanding of the molecular components involved in reproduction may assist in understanding the evolutionary adaptations used by animals, including hermaphrodites, to produce offspring and retain a continuation of their lineage. In this study, we focus on the Mediterranean snail, Theba pisana, a hermaphroditic land snail that has become a highly invasive pest species within agricultural areas throughout the world. Our analysis of T. pisana CNS tissue has revealed gene transcripts encoding molluscan reproduction-associated proteins including APGWamide, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and an egg-laying hormone (ELH). ELH isoform 1 (ELH1) is known to be a potent reproductive peptide hormone involved in ovulation and egg-laying in some aquatic molluscs. Two other non-CNS ELH isoforms were also present in T. pisana (Tpi-ELH2 and Tpi-ELH3) within the snail dart sac and mucous glands. Bioactivity of a synthetic ELH1 on sexually mature T. pisana was confirmed through bioassay, with snails showing ELH1-induced egg-laying behaviours, including soil burrowing and oviposition. In summary, this study presents a detailed molecular analysis of reproductive neuropeptide genes in a land snail and provides a foundation for understanding ELH function.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5051934 | PMC |
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0162355 | PLOS |
Sci Rep
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 36 Baochubei Road, Hangzhou, 310012, People's Republic of China.
The increasing economic damage caused by terrestrial gastropods, especially the Monacha cartusiana (M. cartusiana) land snail, to the agricultural sector requires a diligent and continuous search for new materials and alternatives for the control operations. In this piece of work, a magnetically separable molluscicide with high effectiveness green Barium-Cerium-Copper ferrite/TiO (Ba-Ce-CuFO/TiO) nanocomposite was greenly prepared using Eichhornia plant aqueous extract and characterized using different techniques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi
December 2024
Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali, Yunnan 671000, China.
Objective: To predict the potential geographic distribution of in Yunnan Province using random forest (RF) and maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models, so as to provide insights into surveillance and control in Yunnan Province.
Methods: The snail survey data in Yunnan Province from 2015 to 2016 were collected and converted into snail distribution site data. Data of 22 environmental variables in Yunnan Province were collected, including twelve climate variables (annual potential evapotranspiration, annual mean ground surface temperature, annual precipitation, annual mean air pressure, annual mean relative humidity, annual sunshine duration, annual mean air temperature, annual mean wind speed, ≥ 0 ℃ annual accumulated temperature, ≥ 10 ℃ annual accumulated temperature, aridity and index of moisture), eight geographical variables (normalized difference vegetation index, landform type, land use type, altitude, soil type, soil textureclay content, soil texture-sand content and soil texture-silt content) and two population and economic variables (gross domestic product and population).
PLoS One
January 2025
Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología y Geografía, Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
Climate change is a global environmental threat, directly affecting biodiversity. Terrestrial gastropods are particularly susceptible to alterations in temperature and humidity and have develop morph-physiological and behavioural adaptations in this regard. Shell colour polymorphism and its potential implication for thermoresistance constitute an unexplored field in Neotropical land snails.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
December 2024
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
While adult fireflies are terrestrial, their larvae inhabit various habitat types, and a lack of comprehensive research on the feeding habits of these larvae across different habitats has greatly impeded the development of artificial diets. Here, we tested 14 types of foods, primarily covering gastropods, vertebrates, and fruit, to survey feed for aquatic ( and ), semi-aquatic ( and sp.), and terrestrial () fireflies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxicon
January 2025
Cell Biology, Histology and Genetics Division, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, P.O. Box 62521, Beni-Suef, Egypt. Electronic address:
The present study focused on assessing the impact of clove oil on adult snails, specifically Eobania vermiculata, due to their detrimental effects on plants and crops. Our investigation aimed to explore both the lethal and sub-lethal toxicity of clove oil under laboratory and field conditions, with the goal of elucidating the mechanisms underlying its toxic effects on E. vermiculata.
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