A Study on Snail Species Present in Mgbowo Awgu Local Government Area, Nigeria

A study of snail species in Mgbowo Community Awgu L.G.A., Enugu State, Nigeria was undertaken from August to September, 2016. Five plots with different ecological features were mapped out for the study and the sampling methods used were handpicking and deep netting. A total of 397 snails belonging to two families and six species were collected. The snail species identified were Achatina achatina, Achatina margnata, Achatina fulica, Lanistes various Limicolaria martensis and Limicolaria aurora. The most abundant species was A. achtina with 127 individuals and a relative abundance of 31.98%. It was followed by A. margnata, L aurora, A. fulica and L martensis with relative abundance of 24.2%, 19.4%, 12.34% and 8.8%. Lanistes varicus was the least abundant with 13 individuals and a relative abundance of 3.30%. The plots differed in diversity and abundance, plot A; 114, plot B: 67, plot C. 82, plot D: 49 and plot E. 85. Lanistes varicus which was collected in the present study are listed in the International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list as an endangered species as well as promoted intermediate host for Schistosoma species, so there is a need to adopt a sustainable approach in the utilization and conservation of snail species in Mgbowo community. Limicolaria species is a vector of rat lungworm Angrostronglus cantonesis. The study has helped to identify the diversity of snails living within Mgbowo community and their habitats. Thus, this study revealed that Mgbowo Community has low snail diversity. Again, snail picking by farmers and indigenes of Mgbowo for meat is negligible but may prove to be detrimental to the population of snails in the community in the near future.