THE IDENTIFICATION AND DIVERSITY TERRESTRIAL SNAIL IN

DISTRICT HARIPUR KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN

by
Faiza Tariq
(F22-0787-DOB-BS- (ZO)/UOH)

Supervisor Dr. Kamran Ullah Department of Biology ……….

Signature

Chairperson Dr. Aziz Ullah Department of Biology ………..

Signature

Dean Prof. Dr. Abdul Majid Faculty of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

……….

Signature

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
FACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL & BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
THE UNIVERSITY OF HARIPUR, HARIPUR
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN
1.1 INTRODUCTION:
a. Background
Snail is the invertebrate which belong to the phylum Mollusca of the Kingdome Animalia.
Snails are the animal that lives in the varieity of habitats such is marine, fresh and terrestrial
habitat. After the insect the mollusc are the second largest creatures on the world (chapman,
2009). There are a number of forms of gastropods in terrestrial environment. Snail is a small
animal with a long soft body with no legs and a spiral shape. Snails are generally shelled
forms while slugs are the forms which are without shell. The snail mostly feed on juicy
leaves over dry ones and vegetables. They play important role in the disintegration of
litter, the uptake of soil calcium concentration, and as a source of food for other animals,
but they also tend to have short lifespans that indicates that they are excellent bio indicator
(Altaf et al., 2017). The importance of this little creature has always been underestimated.
Most species of the snails play a dominant role in the fresh waters by providing food for other
organisms like fish and improve water quality by consuming large quantities of detritus and
algae (Johnson, 2003).
Historical background of snails reveals that its history nearly 500 million years, while number
of molluscs has been estimated from 80,000 species to 135000 (Boss, 1973). The
identification and classification of the gastropods is generally done on the basis of
morphological as well as shell characteristics for the past two centuries. Biodiversity is
globally admired as component to Know the genetic abundance, ecological role and the
elasticity of the ecosystem (Macintosh et al., 2002,Schultz and Haywood et al., 1995 Schultz
and Mooney, 1993). Biodiversity of snail is define as number of native species per unit land
area, as stated by (Holland and cowie, 2009). Second large and most successful invertebrates
are snails (Hapman, 2009;Abbot, 1989;). There are total 1222 terrestrial molluscs,42% of the
693 extinctions from animal species are molluscs comprises of 260 gastropods and 31
bivalves reported as in Red List of threatened species by (Baillie et al.,2004). The fauna of
terrestrial snails of Pakistan is not well known globally. Literature showed that less studies
gives little information about snail identification fauna. (Young and Dudgeon, 2014;
Brönmark, 1989).
Lands molluscs generally live on a dead and decayed material or living herbaceous plants,
fungus, algae, rotting wood and bark. Snails habitat differ from deserts to cooler climates e.g.
mountains and marshes. Snails are found in under logs, loose barks, or coarse woody debris,
on leaf litter on the forest floor. They are also found in high altitude, hot and cold places.
Terrestrial snails live in gardens, agricultural lands, river sides or streams, swamps, cities, and
forests. Home gardens are home to many snails. Snail occurrence and distribution are
significantly influenced by temperature and moisture. Summer rainy seasons favours
abundance of snails. They are found in both terrestrial and aquatic habitat (Miller and Harly,
2001). The effects of benthic macro fauna on snails sediment characterization has been
understood by many reasons like minerals recycles, energy transfer to trophic levels, Soil
aeration (Schaffer et al., 1987; Hutchings and Saenger, 1987);Tenore et al., 1984).
Taxonomy of molluscs of Pakistan was reported in Pakistan about presence of mollusks
(Pelecypod) (Khan and Dastagir, 1972; Tirmizi, 1973). Many investigators (Ziaullah et al.,
2018; Afsar et al., 2012;Ahmed and Hameed, 1999;Ahmed et al., 1982; Ahmed and Ayub,
1996; Ziaullah et al., 2018; Afsar et al., 2012) worked on many aspects of Gastropods, still
knowledge is lacking on snails of Pakistan.
Few studies were carried out in different regions of Pakistan regarding identification and
diversity of snails. In the reported study five families, six genera of snail were identified on
the basis of morphological characteristics (Altaf et al., 2016). Many snail species were
reported from areas of Sindh such as Zootecus agrensis, Z.chion, Z.polygyratus, Z.gracilor
minor and Z.pullus from five sites (Girod and Balzairini, 2017).
Haripur is the main city of Hazara District in Hazara, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan situated
in North of Islamabad. Haripur has rich flora and fauna along with unusual climatic
conditions. The present study was aim to examine identification and diversity of snails in
District Haripur.
b. problem statement
Haripur is a vast agro agricultural area with mollusc’s rich community where different snail’s
species can be found with vast diversity. This macro invertebrate still has not gained much
attention from biologist. There is very little information about the snail species and there
diversity. The current study aim to identify the different species of snail and there diversity in
district Haripur.
c. Objectives
The objective of the current study is :
 To identify of different species of snails in district Haripur.
 To determine the diversity of the snails in the agro-ecosystem of district Haripur.
 d. Possible outcome
We expect the following outcome from the current study. Identification of the new terrestrial
snail specie may be expected in district Haripur. The unique pattern of distribution of the
snail species may be expected in district Haripur from the other region of Pakistan due to
their climatic condition.
e. Novelty
It is the first ever study on the identification and diversity of the terrestrial snail in district
Haripur.
1.2 METERIAL AND METHODS
SAMPLE COLLECTION
The sample of snail species for this study will be randomly collecting from the different
locality of the district Haripur.
PRESERVATIONS
Snail species will be preserving in the 70 % ethanol for the purpose of identification and
other lab work.
IDENTIFICTIONS
The identification of the snail species will be performing on the basis of different
morphological character.
DIVERSITY
The abundance and diversity of the different species will be finding by the use of different
statistical tolls like SPSS etc.

1.3 Time frame

S. Research Components Time Required

No.
1 Introduction, (September 2023 to October 19
Hypothesis/Research questions, 2023)
Objectives, Literature review and
planning
2 Experimental work/Data (October 19 to November 2023)
collection/Sample
collection/Mathematical
modeling/Computer
simulations
3 Analysis (December 2023)
4 Thesis writing (January 2024)
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