THE EFFECTS OF EXTRACTS FROM TETRAPLEURA-TETRAPTERA (TAUB) AND BAYLUSCIDE(R) ON CELLS AND TISSUE STRUCTURES OF BIOMPHALARIA-GLABRATA (SAY)

Subchronic experiments were conducted with low concentrations of sapon ins from Tetrapleura tetraptera and Bayluscide(R) to study the ultrast ructural effects of these molluscicides on Biomphalaria glabrata. The ratio of the digestive cells to the crypt cells was inverted in mollus cicide treated snails which showed an increase in the number of secret ory cells and a decrease in the number of digestive cells. In the snai l foot connective tissues, dose-dependent autolytic areas were observe d. The major ultrastructural effects were seen in the digestive gland with dose-dependent autolysis of the membranous structures such as the golgi apparatus, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. The results show that the molluscicides produced non-specific effects on the membr anous structures.