A Snail's Pace in a Snail’s Space: Adult movement rates of Lavigeria gastropods in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Little quantitative data about the movement rates of freshwater gastropods is available. Knowledge of these rates can lead to a better understanding of gastropods and their interactions with the environment. Rate of movement at an individual level has several implications for survival and reproduction. In patchy freshwater systems, movement rates are a limiting factor in the gastropod's ongoing search for suitable habitats. These habitats must have an ample food supply, low competition (from conspecifics and other species), sufficient protection from predators, and easy access to mates. In the adult stages of life, active movement is a precursor to dispersal. A firm grasp on the potential for movement at a species level will dictate how large a role dispersal plays in population structure and distribution.