Quantitative genetics of reproductive traits in the edible snailHelix aspersa Müller

✍ Scribed by Dupont-Nivet, M.; Mallard, J.; Bonnet, J. C.; Blanc, J. M.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 139 KB
• Volume: 281
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-010x(19980615)281:3<220::aid-jez8>3.0.co;2-p

✦ Synopsis

The present study was carried out to obtain accurate estimates of genetic parameters for the following reproductive traits in Helix aspersa: interval between end of hibernation and mating (R1), interval between mating and egg-laying (R2), and for each clutch, egg number and mean egg weight. Genetic correlations with growth traits were also estimated.

Data from 983 (1780 for R1) animals issued from 123 full-sib families were analyzed. Genetic parameters were estimated with REML method applied to an animal model.

Observation of egg number and R1 revealed that some early adult animals (snails with reflected peristome) were not entirely sexually mature.

Heritabilities were low or medium: 0.12 ± 0.01 for egg number; 0.37 ± 0.01 for mean egg weight; 0.21 ± 0.01 for R1, and 0.15 ± 0.01 for R2. Genetic correlations were favourable to selection for improving adult weight because egg number and mean egg weight were positively correlated with adult weight.