Oncomelania hupensis nosophora; miyairigai snail
A freshwater snail that serves as an intermediate host for the Japanese blood fluke (Schistosoma japonicum). Primarily a medical and biological term.
See also: カタヤマガイ
The miyairigai snail is an intermediate host of the Japanese blood fluke.
In the past, schistosomiasis japonica was prevalent in habitats of the miyairigai snail.
Kanji spelling is rarely used; the word is usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling is also used, but katakana is more common for scientific names.
Named after the Japanese parasitologist Miyairi who studied the snail's role in schistosomiasis transmission. The exact derivation of the name is well-established in medical history.