Gastropod fauna in key habitats surrounding Lake Mainit, Philippines with notes on snail-associated diseases

Lake Mainit is the deepest lake in the Philippines. Nonetheless, cases of schistosomiasis were also reported in several communities surrounding the lake adding to concern to the tourism in the area. This gastropod survey was conducted in ten barangays surrounding Lake Mainit to provide an inventory of gastropods and their possible preference to habitats surrounding the lake. Collection of samples was done monthly from February to November 2014. A total of fifteen gastropod species from nine families were identified, with four species endemic to the country. Of these species, only one, Vivipara angularis, was utilized for food, and is collected abundantly in the lake. Other species were either considered agricultural pests (Ampullaria luzonica, Pomacea luzonica) while others were known vectors of zoonotic diseases such as Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi, Melanoides tuberculata, and Radix rubiginosa. Notably, known vectors of schistosomiasis were found in rice fields and creeks but not in the lakeshore study stations. This study is the first documentation of gastropods in five habitats surrounding Lake Mainit and will be helpful as baseline data for researches on snail-associated zoonotic diseases in this area.