International Journal of Innovative Biosciences Research 14(3):109-126, July-Sept, 2026

© SEAHI PUBLICATIONS, 2026 www.seahipublications.org ISSN: 2467-8457

DOI:10.5281/zenodo.22833263

Distribution Of Freshwater Molluscs And Molecular Identification Of Schistosomes In Bulinus Species In The Hadejia-Nguru Wetland Of Nigeria

¹Tibita Sule, GABA (Ph.D), ²Prof. I.M.K Gadzama, ³Prof. I.S.Ndams, ⁴Prof. Dahiru Sani, ⁵Prof. Audu J. Natala, ⁶ Kalen E. Audu (Ph.D),⁷Musa Alhaji Musa (Ph.D)

¹Department of Biology, Umar Suleiman College of Education, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria

²Department of Biology,

Faculty of Science, Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

³Department of Zoology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology,

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, Kaduna State, Nigeria

⁵Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology,

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, Kaduna State, Nigeria

⁶African Center for Neglected Tropical Disease and Forensic, Biotechnology,

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, Kaduna State, Nigeria

⁷Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture,

Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria

Corresponding Email: gabatabita13@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the distribution of freshwater molluscs and the molecular identification of schistosome intermediate host snails, particularly Bulinus species, in the Hadejia-Nguru Wetland of Nigeria. Freshwater molluscs were collected from four wetland locations, and their morphological characteristics were used for identification and taxonomic classification. A total of eleven (11) freshwater mollusc species belonging to eight (8) families were recorded. The families included Unionidae, Mutelidae, Ampullariidae, Paludomidae, Thiaridae, Planorbidae, Lymnaeidae and Viviparidae. The molluscs belonged to both the classes Bivalvia and Gastropoda. Species of particular interest included Anodonta anatina, Anodonta implicata, Anodonta marginata, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bulinus truncatus and Bellamya crawshayi. Molecular analysis was conducted to further identify Bulinus and Schistosoma haematobium. PCR amplification of the Cox1 gene region produced an approximately 400-base-pair (bp) amplicon for Bulinus, while nested PCR targeting the Cox1 gene region of the parasite produced an approximately 770-bp amplicon. Phylogenetic analysis showed high genetic similarities between the sampled Bulinus truncatus and sequences from some European countries, while Schistosoma haematobium showed high similarities with sequences from France and the United Kingdom. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of combining morphological and molecular techniques in identifying freshwater molluscs and schistosome-related organisms in wetland ecosystems. The study provides useful information for understanding the potential transmission ecology of urinary schistosomiasis in the Hadejia-Nguru Wetland.

Keywords: Hadejia-Nguru Wetland, freshwater molluscs, Bulinus truncatus, Schistosoma haematobium, molecular identification, PCR, Cox1, schistosomiasis.