Interactions:
It is very common for
some species of mollusks to serve as intermediate host for many
smaller organisms. For example in a study done by Grewal 2003
entitled Parasitism of Molluscs by Nematodes,
which looked at the life cycle of nematodes. In this
paper, Grewal points out how nematodes use various species of
slugs and snails as an effective mean of survival and
transportation from on host to another. In this study he
explains that for nematodes at different stages in their lives,
the mollusk in a way helps develop them until they are
intentionally or unintentionally swallowed by a variety of
different vertebrates. In another study dealing with the
observation of Cooper’s Rocky Mountain snail that
various species in the Euconulus genera carried various
lungworms that later infected various vertebrates such as
rabbits and sheep (Grewal et. al, 2003;
Anderson, 2005)
Below is a list of the species of nematodes taken from Grewal’s study in which Euconulus fulvus (Müller 1774) served as an intermediate host:(Grewal et. al, 2003).
Elaphostrongylus cervi
Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei
Parelaphostrongylus hobmaieri
Pneumostrongylus rufescens
Pneumostrongylus stilesi
Pneumostrongylus rushi
Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis
Varestrongylus
pneumonicus