Variation in spermathecal morphology is independent of sperm competition intensity in populations of the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Cornu aspersum

Zoology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evripides Koemtzopoulos ◽  
Alexandra Staikou
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Land Snail ◽  
Competition Intensity ◽  
Cornu Aspersum

scholarly journals Sperm competition games: optimal sperm allocation in response to the size of competing ejaculates

2006 ◽  
Vol 274 (1607) ◽  
pp. 209-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leif Engqvist ◽  
Klaus Reinhold
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Competition Intensity ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Storage Model ◽  
Sperm Allocation ◽  
Competition Theory ◽  
Different Levels

Sperm competition theory predicts that when males are certain of sperm competition, they should decrease sperm investment in matings with an increasing number of competing ejaculates. How males should allocate sperm when competing with differently sized ejaculates, however, has not yet been examined. Here, we report the outcomes of two models assuming variation in males' sperm reserves and males being faced with different amounts of competing sperm. In the first ‘spawning model’, two males compete instantaneously and both are able to assess the sperm competitive ability of each other. In the second ‘sperm storage model’, males are sequentially confronted with situations involving different levels of sperm competition, for instance different amounts of sperm already stored by the female mating partner. In both of the models, we found that optimal sperm allocation will strongly depend on the size of the male's sperm reserve. Males should always invest maximally in competition with other males that are equally strong competitors. That is, for males with small sperm reserves, our model predicts a negative correlation between sperm allocation and sperm competition intensity, whereas for males with large sperm reserves, this correlation is predicted to be positive.

Uptake and biological responses in land snail Cornu aspersum exposed to vaporized CdCl2

2018 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 377-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Sturba ◽  
G. Liberatori ◽  
M.L. Vannuccini ◽  
S. Ancora ◽  
I. Corsi
Keyword(s):  
Land Snail ◽  
Biological Responses ◽  
Cornu Aspersum

Faecal microbiota dynamics in Cornu aspersum during dietary change and antibiotic challenge

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-335
Author(s):  
Parker N Smith ◽  
Sarah M Boomer ◽  
Michael J Baltzley
Keyword(s):  
Food Source ◽  
Population Analysis ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Land Snail ◽  
Faecal Microbiota ◽  
16S Rrna Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cornu Aspersum ◽  
Penicillin Treatment ◽  
Pre Treatment

ABSTRACTDespite its widespread geographic distribution and applications, the herbivorous land snail Cornu aspersum represents an understudied animal host. In this study, we used a culture-based approach, in combination with a population analysis based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, to describe changes in the faecal microbiota of wild-caught snails that were fed a nonsterile plant diet over a period of 21 days. At the beginning of the experiment, wild-caught snails harboured diverse populations of Gammaproteobacteria. The two most abundant genera of Gammaproteobacteria were soil-associated Pseudomonas and Buttiauxella; the latter is an understudied genus often reported in snails and slugs. During penicillin treatment, the diversity of Gammaproteobacteria in experimental snails bottlenecked, resulting in Pseudomonas takeover. Following penicillin treatment, experimental snails began to recover, with faecal samples containing pre-treatment Gammaproteobacteria groups by day 21. There was a significant difference in the colony-forming units/g across days and across treatments. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between day and treatment. The food source was not sterile and supported its own population of Gammaproteobacteria, primarily Pseudomonas, which would have been taken up by the snails daily. Given that Buttiauxella was not observed on the food source, we hypothesize that it was present and maintained within the digestive tract of C. aspersum, and this is consistent with the idea that C. aspersum maintains an endogenous gut microbiome.

scholarly journals Social manipulation of sperm competition intensity reduces seminal fluid gene expression

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 20170659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia S. Sloan ◽  
Maxine Lovegrove ◽  
Leigh W. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
Fertilization Success ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Fluid Composition ◽  
Competition Intensity ◽  
Teleogryllus Oceanicus ◽  
Sperm Competition Risk ◽  
Considerable Body

A considerable body of evidence supports the prediction that males should increase their expenditure on the ejaculate in response to sperm competition risk. The prediction that they should reduce their expenditure with increasing sperm competition intensity is less well supported. Moreover, most studies have documented plasticity in sperm numbers. Here we show that male crickets Teleogryllus oceanicus exhibit reduced seminal fluid gene expression and accessory gland mass in response to elevated sperm competition intensity. Together with previous research, our findings suggest that strategic adjustments in seminal fluid composition contribute to competitive fertilization success in this species.

scholarly journals Brachylaima spp. (Trematoda) parasitizing Cornu aspersum (Gastropoda) in France with potential risk of human consumption

Parasite ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Claudia Gérard ◽  
Armelle Ansart ◽  
Nolwenn Decanter ◽  
Marie-Claire Martin ◽  
Maxime Dahirel
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Intestinal Parasite ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Land Snail ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Geographic Spread ◽  
Great Body ◽  
Cornu Aspersum ◽  
Second Intermediate Host ◽  
First Time

The edible land snail Cornu aspersum, native to the Mediterranean coastlines of North Africa, is widely distributed on most continents and often invasive in areas where introduction is recent. This species could contribute to the geographic spread of parasites as demonstrated for Brachylaima spp. These cosmopolitan trematodes may represent a threat to human health, like in Australia where Brachylaima cribbi infects humans. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the occurrence of Brachylaima spp. in two French populations of C. aspersum, Thorigné-Fouillard (Ille-et-Vilaine), and Arçais (Deux-Sèvres), with an overall prevalence of 10.4% (Thorigné-Fouillard) and 73.3% (Arçais), respectively and a metacercarial intensity on average three times higher in Thorigné-Fouillard (37) than in Arçais (11). Cornu aspersum may act as a first and second intermediate host, as demonstrated in Arçais. The morphometrics of metacercariae, particularly the great body length about 2 mm, discriminate our Brachylaima species from those already described in C. aspersum (B. cribbi in Australia, and B. aspersae, B. llobregatensis and B. mascomai in Europe). Molecular analysis, based on 28S and COI, suggests the occurrence of two species in our study, one of which is probably Brachylaima mesostoma, an intestinal parasite of passeriform birds described in Central Europe. We underline the need for further research to identify species of Brachylaima in France and measure the health hazard of consuming field-collected snails.

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