The ecological habitats and density of invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, lamarck, 1822 (gastropoda : ampullariidae)‎ at the banks of Shatt al-Arab river, Basrah, Iraq

Abstract EN

The ecological habitats and density of snails Pomacea canaliculata were studies in two sites in intertidal zone at banks Shatt-Al-Arab river, Basrah, Iraq.

The Snails were collected randomly by 1x1m-quadrats monthly three sampling quadrats in the month for 12 months from December 2013 to November 2014.

Density of snails include stages (juvenile and adult), sex ratio, egg clutch density, and number of eggs per clutch were recorded.

The results showed that snail population fluctuated and depended on the seasons of the year.

Snail density in two sites was .(43ind./m2 in April 2014) and (0 ind./m2 in December 2013 to February 2014).

Sex ratio showed lower number of males than females for sites 1,2 (1:1.09-1:5.04) except for sites 2 for April month (1.14:1).

Egg clutch density ranged from 0-3 m2 with a clutch size of 61-576 eggs.

These densities of simply high population growth rate.