GENETIC-EVIDENCE OF 2 SPECIES IN THE BIOMPHALARIA-HAVANENSIS COMPLEX (GASTROPODA, PLANORBIDAE) FROM CUBA

In Cuba, several species of freshwater gastropods belonging to the gen us Biomphalaria have been described according to morphological charact ers. However, the taxonomy of this group remains unclear and a number of synonyms are often cited in the literature. This is the case for B. havanensis whose taxonomical status is not well established. Multiloc us enzyme electrophoresis at 18 loci was carried out on adult snails o f B. havanensis from the type locality in Havana and from several othe r sites harbouring a morphologically slightly different form, referred to here as Biomphalaria sp. Another local distinct species B. helophi la was used as an outgroup. Allelic distribution showed the presence o f nine and 12 diagnostic loci between B. havanensis and Biomphalaria s p. and B. helophila, respectively. We detected eight fixed alleles bet ween Biomphalaria sp, and B. helophila. The genetic divergence estimat ed by absolute genetic distances strongly supports the assumption that Biomphalaria sp. is quite different from the sympatric B. havanensis, morphologically the closest species. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.