Biological facts | Snail hosts of different Schistosoma species | ||
Bulinus (S. haematobium) | Biomphalaria (S. mansoni) | Oncomelania (S. japonicum) | |
Relation to water | Entire lifecycle in water | Entire lifecycle in water | Entire lifecycle in water, lives near water (amphibious) |
Preferred habitat | Slow flowing or standing waters like irrigation ditches, lakes, ponds, rivers and wetland rice cultivation | Slow flowing or standing waters like irrigation ditches, lakes, ponds, rivers and wetland rice cultivation | Muddy banks from ditches, lakes, rivers and wetland rice cultivation |
Food | Aquatic plants | Aquatic plants | Mud with e.g. algae |
Resistance to desiccation | Good, survives for 7 month buried in the soil | Less good | Very good in mud |
Embryonic | At 25˚C about 7 - 8 days, sexually mature after 1 month | At 25˚C about 7 - 8 days, sexually mature after 1 month | At 25˚C about 18 - 20 days, sexually mature in nature after about 5 months |
Life time | Slightly more than 1 year | Slightly more than 1 year | Years |