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Experimental studies on the life-cycle of Raillietiella gigliolii (Pentastomida: Cephalobaenida) in the South American worm-lizard Amphisbaena alba: a unique interaction involving two insects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Judith M. Winch  and
J. Riley
Judith M. Winch
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland
J. Riley
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland
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Summary

Raillietiella gigliolii is a cephalobaenid pentastomid which inhabits the lungs of the South American worm-lizard Amphisbaena alba. The host is a facultative inquiline of nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta cephalotes where it feeds occasionally (and possibly by accident) on ants but more often on beetles and their larvae which are themselves inquilines of ant nests. Ants store exhausted leaf-substrate in special underground chambers which serve as refuse dumps and it is here that larvae of the three-horned rhinoceros beetle Coetosis biloba feed: these larvae are also known to be prey items of A. alba. From observations of captive colonies of Atta, we have demonstrated that pentastomid-egg contaminated faeces of A. alba, introduced into the colony, are rapidly cut up and thrown onto the refuse dump, where, under natural circumstances they will be eaten by Coelosis. These larvae have an unusual and highly specialized gut physiology and parasite eggs will develop to an infective stage within the haemocoel in 70–96 days. Cockroaches are refractory to infection. Ants are the vital link in transmission since they literally deliver eggs to the Coelosis larvae. The strong trophic links which exist between the various components of the life-cycle offset a low fecundity of 100 eggs/female parasite/day but nonetheless maintain a high prevalence (86%) of infection.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 91 , Issue 3 , December 1985 , pp. 471 - 481
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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References

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