Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T04:31:20.398Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Life-cycles of helminth parasites using Gammarus lacustris as an intermediate host in a Canadian lake

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

M. Denny
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada*

Extract

The systematics and life-cycles of the helminths of a local population of Gammarus lacustris in a eutrophic lake near Edmonton, Alberta, is reported as part of a larger study of the composition and seasonal dynamics of the helminth fauna of gammarids.

A total of 12 species of helminths, including eight cestodes, one nematode and three acanthocephalans, were recovered. Of these, eleven were new host records, ten were assigned to an intermediate host species for the first time, and one, Hymenolepis albertensis sp.nov., was described for the first time.

Adults of all twelve helminths were raised in experimentally infested birds and the life-cycles of five species (Lateriporus clerci, L. skrjabini, Hymenolepis albertensis sp.nov., Fimbriaria fasciolaris and Polymorphus marilis) were completed in the laboratory. The larvae are described, and the developmental period in the gammarids, prepatent period and life span of the adults are given for many of the helminths.

The rate of development of the cysticercoids of Lateriporus skrjabini was shown to be directly related to the size of the gammarid and inversely related to the intensity of infestation.

The proboscis-hook formula was not a good diagnostic character for the separation of the three acanthocephalans, Polymorphus contortus, P. marilis and P. paradoxus; however, the size of the largest hook and the structure of the cystacanth body-wall were good diagnostic characters.

I am indebted to Dr J. C. Holmes for advice and encouragement at all stages of the study. I also wish to thank Drs S. Prudhoe and D. R. R. Burt for their editorial assistance, Mr L. Graham for many helpful suggestions and information on the natural definitive hosts of the species encountered, Mr R. Podesta for his laboratory assistance, and Miss E. D. Senio for caring for the ducklings during their first few days of life. The study was supported by the Francis F. Reeve Foundation Graduate Bursary, the Queen Elizabeth Education Scholarship Fund, by the Department of Zoology through a Teaching Assistantship, by a grant from the R. B. Miller Biological Station Fund and by an N.R.C. operating grant (A–1464) to Dr J. C. Holmes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Ornithologists' Union (1957). Check-list of North American birds, fifth edition. Baltimore, Md.: Lord Baltimore Press.Google Scholar
Awachie, J. B. E. (1966 a). Observation on Cyathocephalus truncatus Pallas, 1781 (Cestoda: Spathebothriidea) in its intermediate and definitive hosts in a trout stream, North Wales. J. Helminth. 40, 110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Awachie, J. B. E. (1966 b). The development and life history of Echinorhynchus truttae Schrank, 1788 (Acanthocephala). J. Helminth. 40, 1132.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Belopolskaya, M. M. (1952). The parasite fauna of the marine birds. Unchen. Zap. leningr. gos. Univ. (biol.) 141, 127–80. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Bousfield, E. L. (1958). Fresh-water amphipod crustaceans of glaciated North America. Can. Fld Nat. 72, 55113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colbo, M. H. (1965). Taxonomy and ecology of the helminths of the American coot in Alberta. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Cram, E. B. (1927). Bird parasites of the nematode suborders Strongylata, Ascarudata and Spirurata. U.S. natl. Mus. Bull. 140, 1465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crompton, D. W. T. (1964). The envelope surrounding Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) (Acanthocephala) during its development in the intermediate host, Gammarus pulex. Parasitology 54, 721–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delacour, J. & Mayr, E. (1945). The family Anatidae. Wilson Bull. 57, 355.Google Scholar
Dubinina, M. N. (1953). Tapeworms of birds nesting in West Siberia. Parazit. Sb. 15, 118233. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Fuhrmann, O. (1913) Nordische Vogelcestoden aus dem Museum von Göteborg. Medd. Göteborgo Musei Zoologiska, Afdelning 1.Google Scholar
Gallimore, J. R. (1964). Taxonomy and ecology of helminths of grebes in Alberta. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Garkavi, B. L. (1949 a). A study of the life-cycle of Streptocara crassicauda (Creplin, 1829), parasite of domestic and wild ducks. Dokl. Acad. Nauk SSSR 65, 421–4. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Garkavi, B. L. (1949 b). Elucidation of the life cycle of Tetrameres fissispina, parasite of domestic and wild ducks. Dokl. Acad. Nauk SSSR 66, 1215–18. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Garkavi, B. L. (1950). On the question of the biology of the cestode Fimbriaria fasciolaris (Pallas, 1781) parasitic in domestic and wild ducks. Trudy vses. Inst. Gel'mint. Skrjabini. 4, 5. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Graham, L. C. (1966). The ecology of helminths in breeding populations of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis Eyton) and ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis Gmelin). M.Sc. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Hyman, L. H. (1951). The Invertebrates, Acanthocephala, Aschelminthes and Endoprocta, vol. 3. McGraw-Hill, N.Y.Google Scholar
Hynes, H. B. N. (1955). The reproductive cycle of some British freshwater Gammaridae. J. Anim. Ecol. 24, 352–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hynes, H. B. N. & Nicholas, W. (1957). The development of Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) (Acanthocephala). Ann. trop. Med. Parasit. 51, 380–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jarecka, L. (1958). Plankton crustaceans in the life cycle of tapeworms occurring in Drużno Lake. Acta parasit. polon. 6, 65109.Google Scholar
Jarecka, L. (1960). Life-cycle of tapeworms from Lakes Goldapiwo and Mamry Polnocne. Acta parasit. pol. 8, 4766.Google Scholar
Jarecka, L. (1961). Morphological adaptations of tapeworm eggs and their importance in the life cycles. Acta parasit. pol. 9, 409426.Google Scholar
Joyeux, C. 1926. Sur quelques cysticercoïds de Gammarus pulex (L.). Archiv für Schiffs-u. Tropenhygiene 30, 433–51.Google Scholar
Kerekes, J. (1965). A comparative limnological study of five lakes in central Alberta. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Linstow, O. F. B. von (1892). Beobachtungen an Helminthenlarven. Arch. mikrosk. Anat. EntwMech. 39, 325–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Linstow, O. F. B. von (1909) Parasitische Nematoden. Süsswasserfauna Deutschlands (ed. Brauer, ) 15, 147–83.Google Scholar
Lühe, M. (1911). Acanthocephalen. Süsswasserfauna Deutschlands (Brauer) 16, 1116.Google Scholar
Luther, A. (1904). Larver af Echinorhynchus polymorphus i Gammarus locusta Meddn Soc. Fauna Flora fenn. 31, 31.Google Scholar
McDonald, M. E. (1965). Catalogue of helminths of waterfowl (Anatidae). Wildl. Dis. 46.Google Scholar
Menon, P. S. (1966). Population ecology of Gammarus lacustris Sars in Big Island Lake. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Nicholas, W. & Hynes, H. (1958). Studies of Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) (Acanthocephala) as a parasite of the domestic duck. Ann. trop. Med. Parasit. 52, 3647.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parenti, U., Antoniotti, M. L. & Beccio, C. (1965). Sex ratio and sex digamety in Echinorhynchus truttae. Experientia 21, 657–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peterson, R., Mountfort, G. & Hollom, P. A. D. (1954). A field guide to the birds of Britain and Europe. London: Collins Clear-Type Press.Google Scholar
Petrochenko, V. I. 1949. Elucidation of life cycle of the acanthocephalan Polymorphus magnus Skrjabini 1913, parasite of domestic and wild ducks. Dokl. Acad. Nauk SSSR 66, 137–40. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Rebecq, J. (1964). Recherches systématiques, biologiques et écologiques sur les formes larvaires de quelques trématodes de Camergue. Thesis, Université d'Aix-Marseille, 223 pp. (from Helminth. Abstr. 35, 205).Google Scholar
Romanovski, A. B. (1964). Life cycle of Polymorphus minutus. Veterinariya. 41, 40–1. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Rybicka, K. (1965). The embryonic envelopes in cyclophyllidean cestodes. Acta parasit. pol. 13, 2533.Google Scholar
Scheer, D. (1934). Gammarus pulex, und Carinogammarus roeselli als Zwischenwirte von Polymorphus minutus (Acanth.) Z. ParasitKde 7, 268–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shteyn, G. A. (1958). Materials from the parasitofauna of aquatic arthropods from certain lakes of the Karelia. Trudy gel'mint. Lab. 11, 407410. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Spasskaya, L. P. & Spassky, A. A. (1961). Cestodes of birds of Tuva. II. Genus Microsomacanthus (Hymenolepididae). Acta vet., hung. 11, 1353. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Spassky, A. A. (1954). On the life cycle of the dilepidids of the genus Lateriporus (Cestoda: Dilepididae). Trudy gel'mint. Lab. 7, 176–9. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Stark, G. T. C. (1965). Diplocotyle (Eucestoda), a parasite of Gammarus zaddachi in the estuary of the Yorkshire Esk, Britain. Parasitology 55, 415–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Timon-David, J. (1965). A propos de Nicolla gallica R-Ph. Dollfus 1959 (Trematoda, Digenea, Coitocaecidae). Annls Parasit. hum. comp. 40, 237–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tolkacheva, L. M. (1966). Toward the cestode fauna of the anseriform birds of the Lower Yenisey and Lake Norilsk. Trudy gel'mint. Lab. 17, 211–39. (Russian text.)Google Scholar
Uspenskaya, A. V. (1960). Parasitofaune des crustaces benthiques de la mer de Barents. Annls Parasit. hum. comp. 35, 221–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Cleave, H. J. (1953). Acanthocephala of North American mammals. Illinois biol. Monogr. 23, 1179.Google Scholar
Voge, M. & Heyneman, D. (1957). Development of Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) in the intermediate host Tribolium confusum. Univ. Calif. Publs Zool. 59, 549–80.Google Scholar
Yamaguti, S. (1959). Systema helminthum, vol. 2, Cestodes. New York and London: Interscience publ.Google Scholar