Application of food assimilation analysis using fatty acids composition of pond snails originating from the Izunuma area

Abstract

Three pond snails, Cipangopaludina japonica, C. chinensis malleata, and Sinotaia quadrata histrica, were collected from different habitats in the Izunuma area. We analyzed their fatty acids composition for inferring food assimilation. Although each pond snail lives in a different habitat, fatty acids composition for each snail showed similar patterns, and high contributions of green algae, cyanobacteria, and bacteria fatty acids were detected. This indicated each pond snail has similar food assimilation tendencies. Though each pond snail has a potential to live in either pond, rice field, or river habitat, the coexistence of three pond snails rarely occurs. This might be a result of exclusive competition for food caused by same food preferences.