Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of growth and body traits of snailets obtained from the crossbreeding of black skinned × white skinned snails (Archachatina marginata (S)) in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria

L. A. Ibom¹*, B. Okon² and I. B. Adinya³

¹Department of Animal Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

²Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.

³Department of Agric. Economics and Extension, Cross River University of Technology, Obubra Campus, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: lawuibom@yahoo.com.

 Accepted 22 August, 2011

 Abstract

This study evaluated the growth and body traits of snailets or juveniles obtained from the hatching of eggs resulting from the crossbreeding of black skinned × white skinned snails. The indices used were body weight, shell length, shell width, ‘mouth’ length and ‘mouth’ width. The results showed that all measured traits expressed progressive increase from hatch to week four. However, the differences observed among the mating groups for these traits were not significantly different. The results also showed that the product of the crossing was a mixture of black and white skinned snailets. This further confirms the possibility of mating between the black and white skinned snails. Interested snail farmers are encouraged to rear both black and white skinned snails.    

Key words: Crossbreeding, growth, Niger Delta, snails, economic traits.