Effects of temperature on life history traits of Radix natalensis Data sheet

Description

Data sheet with results of fecundity, growth, survival of Radix natalensis snail exposed at different temperatures of a period of 9 weeks. daily water temperature recordings over a period of 9 weeks. The hypothesis: Ho : temperature does not affects the life history traits of Radix natalensis & HA( alternative hypothesis) :temperature does affect the life history traits. Observed results shows that warmer temperature promote ,growth and survival of the snails under study, while extreme low and high temperatures do the opposite

Steps to reproduce

Experimental Protocol Forty adult snails were selected for breeding the F1 of Radix natalensis using a modified protocol (Dube et al., 2025 in press) (Dube A, in press (2025)) influenced by the methods described by (Madsen and Monrad, 1981) for Lymnaeid snails, for R natalensis and for R natalensis (Adediran and Uwalaka, 2013) . We randomly allocated 3 snails to 2litre transparent containers, filled with dechlorinated water, and fed the snails with algae wafers and trout pellets. In each container, we placed a white polystyrene substratum for egg laying. The snails were fed three times per week and the room temperature was maintained at 25±1°C. The snails started laying egg masses after 2 weeks and the egg masses were transferred to new containers filled with dechlorinated water to allow them to hatch. The eggs started hatching after two weeks. The hatched juvenile snails were reared in plastic containers filled with filled with dechlorinated water. Two hundred and fifty snails were successfully bred. Design: A total of 120 Radix natalensis snails with a shell height of 3.81±1mm were randomly assigned to six temperature treatments: 15.5oC, 19.5oC, 24.6oC, 29.8oC and 35.1oC, and a control group at ambient temperature (20.3±1°C). For each temperature treatment, two 60-liter aquaria were used with each holding 2-liter honey jars. Thus, for each temperature treatment, there were 10 honey jars. Each honey jar was filled with dechlorinated water, and two juvenile snails were randomly allocated to each jar. As such, there were 12 aquaria and 60 honey jars containing 120 snails for the duration of the experiment. Each temperature treatment had 20 juvenile snails at the start of the experiments. The snails were fed on algal wafers and trout pellets three times a week. Furthermore, the water in the honey jars was changed at the time of feeding to reduce waste accumulation in the water. In each container, we added a white polystyrene substratum for egg laying. Snails were monitored daily to monitor emergence of egg masses snail mortalities. A snail was confirmed dead if it showed no reaction when pricked with a needle (Kalinda et al., 2017). Shell heights were measured using a digital vernier caliper and this was done weekly. The water quality in which the snails were kept was monitored daily using the Hanna (HI9829) multiparameter water test meter. A 100 W aquarium heater (seBO HS-100) and a seBO submersible pump (WP-3200) for water circulation were used maintain a constant temperature and temperature readings in each honey jar were taken at 7 AM, 12 PM, and 6 PM (three times a day), and the heaters were adjusted to maintain a relatively desired experimental temperature. To maintain a low temperature of 15 ℃, Four kilograms (4kg) of ice blocks were added at 8 AM and 6 PM every day to the aquaria that was set for this experimental temperature. The 2L honey jar containers were filled with dechlorinated water, which was changed thrice weekly.

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