Multiple paternity in the hermaphroditic snail, Biomphalaria obstructa

Abstract

Parent-offspring analysis of wild-caught snails, Biomphalaria obstructa, have demonstrated the genetic basis for the polymorphic patterns observed for 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, esterase, and peptidases. Despite being potentially self-fertilizing hermaphrodites, these snails showed little evidence that self fertilization is important under field conditions. Fifteen of 17 isolated snails produced progeny that resulted at least in part from exogenous sperm stored prior to isolation.