Author(s):

Sunday Inusa Danladi, William Aliyu Istifanus and Adamu Babayo Samaila

Abstract: Fresh water snails are important to mankind because they serve as intermediate hosts to various parasites of public health importance. Both natural and man-made water bodies provide conducive habitats for these snails. Thus, it is imperative to examine for the occurrence of freshwater snails in the Dadinkowa man-made reservoir where such information is currently lacking. Consequently, this study was carried out between July to December 2015. Snails were searched for in the main reservoir as well as the main irrigation canals. Seven different prosobranch species namely Lanistes libycus, Lanistes varices, Pila werneri, Melanoides tuberculata, Gabbiella humerosa, Belamya unicolor and Cleopatra colbeaui and three pulmonates species namely Bulinus forskalii, Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Lymnaea natalensis were encountered. Snails were examined for natural infections and only Lymnaea natalensis shed gymnocephalus cercariae typical of Fasciola species. The findings of the present study have provided information on the diversity of fresh water snail fauna of the Dadinkowa reservoir, this information would subsequently be of utmost importance in controlling snail-borne diseases in the Dadinkowa reservoir as well as its adjoining irrigation canals Gombe State. Nigeria.

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