Ecological observations on two species of Gastropoda (Family Hygromiidae) : Monacha cantiana and Candidula gigaxii In three central Iraq provinces

Abstract

This study was carried out on two species of the Hygromiidae family Monacha
cantiana and Candidula gigaxii collected from six sites in three central Iraq
provinces (Baghdad , Babylon and Karbala) . A total of 1318 individuals of Monacha
cantiana and 173 of Candidula gigaxii have been examined during the study period
from October 2013 to July 2014.The study included estimation of species relative
abundance, population density and relationship with some physico- chemical
properties of the soil; temperature, moisture and pH.
The Monacha cantiana was present at all sites but with varying numbers, while
Candidula gigaxii was confined to only three sites: Aljadiriyah and Zafaraniya at
Baghdad, and Hindiya dam at Babylon. Results showed that the highest relative
abundance of Monacha cantiana was 60.8% in April 2014 at Al-Al-Hussainia,
Karbala and the lowest was 12.6% in January 2014 at Zafaraniya, Baghdad. The
highest value of relative abundance of Candidula gigaxii was 51.9 % in January 2014
at the Zafaraniya , Baghdad and the lowest value was 7.3 % in March 2014 at Hindiya
dam , Babylon.
Population density of Monacha cantiana showed that highest value was 12.5
individual / m2 in January 2014 at Al-Al-Hussainia, Karbala and the lowest value was
0.8 individual / m2 in October 2013 at Aljadiriyah , Baghdad. Highest population
density of Candidula gigaxii was 13.6 individual / m2 in December 2013 at
Zafaraniya, Baghdad, and the lowest was 0.4 individual / m2 in October 2013 in
Aljadiriyah, Baghdad.
Soil temperature varied between 7and 30 C° in January and July 2014 at Twereje,
Karbala, and Aljadiriyah at Baghdad respectively. Moisture values were between 9
and 33% in July and January 2014 at Alexandria and Hindiya dam, Babylon,
respectively. Values of pH varied from 7.31 to 7.96 in December 2013 and July 2014
at Alexandria, Babylon and Zafaraniya, Baghdad respectively. These results showed
that ecological factors may have affected abundance and population density of the
snails at all of the study sites