INTRODUCTION: in Cuba, recent studies with colophony - a resin from Pinus caribaea and P. tropicalis - have shown its molluscicidal activity on Biomphalaria havanensis, intermediate host of schistosomosis. OBJECTIVE: to determine the impact of colophony on the heart activity and the hatching of B. havanensis eggs in lab. METHODS: lethal doses of colophony (LD50 y LD90) were used to determine their effect on heart activity and their ovicidal capacity on B. havanensis eggs. Heartbeats were counted using stethoscope. The ovicidal effect was observed in one day and 5-day laid eggs. RESULTS: as a result, this product had an impact on the embrionary development of one-day and five-day eggs; the latter were the least affected. In addition, a marked reduction in the number of heartbeats per minute was observed. CONCLUSION: colophony may be considered as possible option for control of B. havanensis because of their molluscicidal properties.

INTRODUCCIÓN: estudios recientes en Cuba con colofonia, resina extraída a partir de Pinus caribeae y Pinus tropicalis, han demostrado su actividad molusquicida sobre Biomphalaria havanensis, hospedero intermediario de esquistosomosis. OBJETIVO: determinar la influencia de la colofonia sobre la actividad cardiaca y sobre la eclosión de los huevos de B. havanensis en condiciones de laboratorio. MÉTODOS: se trabajó con las dosis letales (DL50 y DL90) de colofonia, para determinar su influencia en la actividad cardiaca y su carácter ovicida en huevos de B. havanensis. RESULTADOS: como resultado se obtuvo que este producto afecta el desarrollo embrionario de los huevos de 1 y 5 d de puestos, y estos últimos son los menos afectados. Además, se observó una marcada disminución en el número de latidos del corazón por minuto. CONCLUSIÓN: la colofonia puede considerarse como un posible candidato para el control de B. havanensis, por causa de su evidente carácter molusquicida.

The variation of abundances of intermediate snail hosts of Fasciola hepatica in Cuba (Fossaria cubensis and Pseudosuccinea columella) was studied during one year under natural conditions at five sampling sites in San Juan y Martinez municipality, Pinar del Rio province, Cuba. The effect of some environmental variables on the lymnaeid abundances was also studied. A canonical correspondence analysis showed that both species do not generally occur together in the same habitat and that most factors affect them in an opposite fashion, although both of them correlate positively through time to the diversity of the habitats. F. cubensis prefers the sites that are in or closer to the city whereas P. columella is more abundant in rural sites. Lymnaeid abundances are mainly affected by nitrite and nitrate concentrations as well as by the abundance of the thiarid Tarebia granifera. F. cubensis is more abundant in polluted habitats with low densities (or absence) of T. granifera whereas P. columella prefers cleaner habitats and can coexist with the thiarid, even at its higher densities. The implications of divergent preferences of the two lymnaeids for the control of fasciolosis are discussed.

A snail-conditioned water experiment was conducted in Pseudosuccinea columella to test the possible role of a chemical interaction between snails on the diminished growth and fecundity rates found for snails raised in pairs compared to those raised in complete isolation. The results permit to discard the hypothesis of an inhibition of growth and reproduction between snails due to factors released into the water.