Biological Insights Into Filopaludina bengalensis (Lamarck, 1822): An Ecologically and Economically Edible Freshwater Snail of South Asia

Abstract

Freshwater snails play important ecological and socio‐economic roles across South Asia, yet basic biological information on Filopaludina bengalensis (Lamarck, 1822) (Gastropoda: Viviparidae) remains scarce. Growth performance, reproductive biology and embryonic development of F. bengalensis were evaluated during an eight‐month study (July‐February) in an experimental pond at Bangladesh Agricultural University. Snails were reared under natural conditions without supplemental feeding. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that shell length and body weight varied significantly ( p  < 0.05) throughout the study, peaking in late autumn and declining in winter. Fecundity was highest in August and September, when brooding females carried the highest numbers of eggs and juveniles. Ten embryonic stages were documented in situ within the brood pouch, from early cleavage to fully calcified juveniles, providing a detailed account of ovoviviparous development in this species. Water quality parameters, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, pH and ammonia, were monitored throughout the study period and remained within suitable ranges. These findings highlight the species' ecological functions and reproductive capacity and point to potential for integration into sustainable aquaculture, particularly integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA), through nutrient recycling and added economic value.