Effect of temperature on development and hatching of Radix natalensis eggs

The resulted data was from laboratory experiment for assessing the association of changing in temperature, with the egg development rate, hatching rate, egg mortality. In this study we assessed the effects of temperature on the development and hatching of Radix natalensis eggs. A controlled laboratory experiment was conducted at five different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35℃), plus control at 20.8℃, to establish the effects of temperature on the development rate, hatching time and hatching rates, and morphological abnormalities of R. natalensis. We observed that egg development slows at low temperatures while hatching rates increase, leading to a long hatching duration at 15℃ compared to other studied temperatures. A strong negative correlation (-0.947) was observed between hatching days and temperature, suggesting that the duration of hatching significantly decreased as temperature increased temperatures accelerate egg development, shorten hatching durations, and diminish eclosion rates relative to temperatures ranging from 15-25℃. Temperatures ranging from 25 to 30℃ reduced hatching durations. Radix natalensis eggs could not hatch or develop at 35℃, signifying that this temperature is lethal. Snails that hatched at 25 and 30℃ exhibited high death rates. An increased temperature of 35℃ correlated with a reduced number of eclosions. Low temperatures down to 15℃ slowed egg development, increased the hatching rate, and extended both the hatching and development periods compared to temperatures ranging from 25 to 35℃. A very strong positive correlation (0.972) between hatching days and hatching percentage indicates that longer hatching times are associated with increased hatchability. The findings can be used for predicting future distribution of Radix natalensis and shifts in fascioliasis transmission patterns caused by climate changes.