1987 Volume 38 Issue 4 Pages 297-301
Seasonal fluctuations in the egg production of the giant African snail, Achatina fulica, the growth of the snail and the rate of infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis in relation to the size of the snail were studied on the Amami Islands. Two clear peaks in the egg production were observed in June and in October/December. Almost all the eggs and infants produced in the latter period died from the cold. The effective reproduction season, therefore, was assumed to be around June. Infant snails grew rapidly to 50-70mm in shell height and then leveled off. The infection rate with A. cantonensis rose rapidly in snails over 50mm in shell height, namely from 11.7 (20-49mm) to 67.9% (50-89mm)
