Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #155187
Title: TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE OF THE RED-RIM MELANIA MELANOIDES TUBERCULATUS, AN EXOTIC AQUATIC SNAIL ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES

Author
item Mitchell, Andrew
item BRANDT, THOMAS - USDI/USFWS

Submitted to: American Fisheries Society Transaction
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2004
Publication Date: 1/3/2005
Citation: Mitchell, A.J., Brandt, T. 2005. Temperature tolerance of the red-rim melania Melanoides tuberculatus, an exotic aquatic snail established in the United States. American Fisheries Society Transaction. 134:126-131.

Interpretive Summary: An exotic-aquatic snail called the red-rimmed melania that can carry human, bird, and fish parasites and displace native snails is spreading across the United States. The fish parasite it carries, a gill trematode, causes severe gill damage and losses among infected fish. Information on the temperature tolerances of the snail was studied in order to gain an understanding of its potential to spread geographically throughout the fish producing areas and its ability to tolerate heated spring waters throughout the United States. Additional studies were done to look at the possibility of using heat disinfection to control its spread on small fisheries equipment. Fisheries equipment is a suspected mode of transfer because the snails are very resistant to chemical disinfectants and to desiccation. The results indicate that all red-rimmed melania would be expected to indefinitely survive temperatures ranging from about 18 to 32°C. About 90% survived 17 and 32.5°C for 27 d and 15 and 35°C for 14 d. The snails survived less than 24 h at 5 and 40°C. At 50°C, all snails tested were dead in less than 3 min and the smallest tested (shell height of 1-4 mm) survived less than 30 sec. A dip of fisheries equipment in hot water from the faucet of a home and business (hot water systems usually run about 50°C) for 5 min should be sufficient to kill any small red-rimmed melania trapped in nets or other fisheries equipment.

Technical Abstract: The red-rimmed melania Melanoides tuberculata, a tropical, exotic, aquatic snail of the family Thiaridae, has become established in the United States. The snail is surviving year-round in ponds in subtropical areas, in constant-temperature spring runs in Florida and Texas, and geothermal waters in several western and mid-western states. Red-rimmed melania is a host for several fish- and bird-infecting trematodes and has displaced native snail populations. Knowing the snail's temperature tolerances will enable the prediction of how widespread the snail could become in the U.S. Under constant temperature conditions in the laboratory, all red-rimmed melania (15-25 mm shell height, SH) were killed by exposure to 5°C for 1 d, 9°C for 2 d, 11°C for 8 d, and 13°C for 12 d. At 17°C and 32.5°C, about 10% of the snails died within 27 d indicating sub-optimal temperature conditions for the snail. Constant temperature springs that are <18°C or >32°C will probably not support red-rimmed melania. All snails (10-20 mm SH) died within 10 h at 40°C and within 20 min at 45°C. Red-rimmed melania will probably also not survive in waters that drop below 5°C for 24 h or rise above 40°C for 12 h. At 50°C, all snails =42 mm SH succumbed within 2.5 min, with the smallest (1 to 4 mm SH) lasting less than 0.5 min. A 4 to 5-min exposure to $50°C water should be sufficient to kill all red-rimmed melania on dip nets and other fisheries equipment.