Gastropoda, Cuvier, 1795

Nicholson, Daniel J., Tapley, Benjamin, Jayson, Stephanie, Dale, James, Harding, Luke, Spencer, Jenny, Sulton, Machel, Durand, Stephen & Cunningham, Andrew A., 2017, Development of in-country live food production for amphibian conservation: The Mountain Chicken Frog (Leptodactylus fallax) on Dominica, West Indies, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 149) 11 (2), pp. 59-68 : 62-63

Gastropoda

Gastropods make up 18% of the known diet of wild L. fallax ( Brooks Jr 1982) , which have been observed consuming them (D. Nicholson, pers. obs.). Slugs ( V. sloanii , Fig. 2F ) and snails ( P. dentiens , Fig. 2G ) were selected for culture as they are highly abundant and widespread across Dominica, readily observed on nocturnal transects and easy to capture. Veronicella sloanii was first discov- ered on Dominica in 2009 and is believed to have been introduced. Pleurodonte dentiens is endemic to Dominica, Martinique, and Guadeloupe ( Robinson et al. 2009). Housing: Both gastropod species were housed in clear plastic containers (52 × 36 × 38 cm) with open tops covered with mesh to prevent escape ( Fig 3A ). All housing units contained refugia such as cardboard egg boxes and sections of tree bark; sphagnum peat moss substrate was also added. Housing containers were cleaned weekly to remove faecal waste and un-eaten food. High humidity was maintained by misting the substrate with water, as required to keep it damp.

Feeding: All gastropod species were fed ad lib with the leaves of lettuce, cabbage, and spinach, with fresh food being provided three times per week.

Figures

Fig. 2. Cultured species at the CBP in Dominica. (A) Gryllodes sigillatus. (B) Gryllus assimilis. (C) Caribacusta dominica. (D) Blaberus discoidalis. (E) Zophobas atratus. (F) Veronicella sloanii. (G) Pleurodonte dentiens. (H) Leptogoniulus sp. Photos: D. Nicholson.

Fig. 3. (A) Two rows of cricket breeding containers and cockroach breeding bins below. (B) Inside of a cricket breeding container, including refugia, food items, and several egg laying containers, transplanted into an empty container to allow eggs to hatch. (C) Inside view of a cockroach breeding bin, including substrate, refugia, and several food items. Photos: D. Nicholson.