around Khong Island and was called Lithoglyphopsis

The discovery in 19961 of a new strain of Neotricula aperta in central Laos raised questions as to the possibility of schistosomiasis in the area. The snails, here referred to as taxon XBF, were found in the Xé-Bang-Fai river of Khammouanne Province, Laos. Schistosoma mekongi is not known in central Laos. However, Mekong schistosomiasis is common in humans in the Mekong river of southern Laos at Khong Island2, some 480 km downstream of the XBF colony. The Xé-Bang-Fai river is a tributary of the Mekong. Neotricula aperta was first reported from the regio