title: Biomphalaria molluscs (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
abstract: The present study was aimed at characterising Biomphalaria species using both morphological and molecular (PCR-RFLP) approaches. The specimens were collected in 15 localities in 12 municipalities of the southern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The following species were found and identified: Biomphalaria tenagophila guaibensis, Biomphalaria oligoza and Biomphalaria peregrina. Specimens of the latter species were experimentally challenged with the LE Schistosoma mansoni strain, which showed to be refractory to infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. micpepe2@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Michele Soares
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: Roberta Lima
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.forename: Omar dos Santos
authors.initials: Odos S
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Gertrud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Liana Konovaloff
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Jannotti-Passos
authors.forename: Alice Pozza
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Hugo Leonardo
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Maria Elisabeth Aires
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Berne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001700:Biomphalaria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D001938:Brazil; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni