Effect of water temperature and population density on the population dynamics of Schistosoma mansoni intermediate host snails

Table 1 Optimum temperatures for snail survival and fecundity

	Optimum temperature
Survival	19.9°C
Mean number of eggs/snail/week	21.6°C
Mean number of egg masses/snail/week	21.9°C
Mean number of eggs/egg mass	20.4°C
Mean growth in shell diameter (small snails)	23.1°C
Mean growth in shell diameter (medium snails)	23.3°C
Mean growth in shell diameter (large snails)	No evidence for any association.

Optimum temperatures are estimated from equations fitted through empirical data points. Small, medium, and large snails are defined as snails with shell diameters at the start of the fortnight of < =8 mm, >8 mm & < =10 mm. and >10 mm respectively.

ISSN: 1756-3305