Biomphalaria
2196771
207259082
2008-04-22T01:23:10Z
71.231.40.35
{{Unreferenced|date=February 2008}}
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Biomphalaria''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Mollusca]]
| classis = [[Gastropoda]]
| ordo = [[Basommatophora]]
| familia = [[Planorbidae]]
| genus = '''''Biomphalaria'''''
| genus_authority = Preston, 1910
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
*''[[B. glabrata]]''
*''[[B. obstructa]]''
*''[[B. amazonica]]''
*''[[B. pfeifferi]]''
*''[[B. tenagophila]]''
*''[[B. havanensis]]''
*''[[B. straminea]]''
*''[[B. alexandrina]]''
*''[[B. subprona]]''
}}
'''''Biomphalaria''''' is a [[genus]] of air-breathing freshwater [[snail]], an [[aquatic animal|aquatic]] [[pulmonate]] [[gastropod]] [[mollusk]] in the [[family]] Planorbidae, the [[sheep|ram]]'s horn [[snail]]s.
This genus of snails is medically important because the snails can carry a parasite which represents a serious disease risk to humans;
the snails serve as an intermediate host (vector) for the human parasitic [[blood fluke]], ''[[Schistosoma mansoni]]''.
The fluke, which is found primarily in tropical areas, infects mammals (including humans) via contact with water that contains schistosome larvae (cercariae) which have previously been released from the snail. Infection occurs via penetration of cercariae through the skin. In humans this fluke causes the debilitating disease [[schistosomiasis]].
Other flukes which parasitize snails include ''[[Schistosoma japonicum]]'', which parasitizes snails in the genus ''[[Oncomelania]]'', and ''[[Schistosoma mekongi]]'', which parasitizes snails in the genus ''[[Tricula]]''.
==Species in the genus ''Biomphalaria''==
* ''[[Biomphalaria glabrata]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria obstructa]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria amazonica]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria pfeifferi]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria tenagophila]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria havanensis]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria straminea]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria alexandrina]]''
* ''[[Biomphalaria subprona]]''
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Planorbidae]]
[[Category:Parasitology]]
{{parasite-stub}}
{{Basommatophora-stub}}