Perfomances de reproduction de l'escargot géant africain Archachatina marginata en captivité au Cameroun
2008
Tchoumboue, J. | Kenfack, A. | Teguia, A. | Ngoula, F. | Dafem, R.
Reproductive and Growth Performances of African Giant Snail Archachatina marginata in Captivity in Cameroon. A study was carried out in the University of Dschang situated in the Soudano-Guinean Western highland of Cameroon with the aim of evaluating the reproductive performances of Archachatina marginata in captivity. Seventy-two adult snails were used as parent stock. Eggs were incubated in two types of boxes (cement blocks and plastic containers) with four types of substrates (sand, loose soil, Eucalyptus robusta wood sawdust and Mansonia altisima wood sawdust). Results obtained show that, under the local conditions, A. marginata starts laying eggs from 13 months of age with an average weight of 83.90 ± 11.22 g. It lays 1 to 10 yellow or white eggs at depth up to 12.2 cm. Yellow eggs (1.58 ± 0.49 g) are significantly (p≤ 0.05) heavier than white ones (1.38 ± 0.21 g). The incubation period and the hatch rate vary independently from the eggs color from 37 to 93 (mean= 60.62 ± 11.16) days and 0 to 100% (mean= 74.04%). These two parameters are also significantly (P≤ 0.01) influenced by both the type of boxes and the substrates for incubation. The plastic boxes and loose soil substrate seem to suit better for incubation compared to cement blocks and to sand and wood sawdust respectively.
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