Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T05:22:53.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The life-history of Archigetes limnodrili (Yamaguti) (Cestoda: Caryophyllaeidae) and its development in the invertebrate host

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

C. R. Kennedy
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool*

Extract

The development of Archigetes limnodrili in species of Limnodrilus is described. There is no free-living larva and eggs are ingested by the tubificids. Growth and development is completed within the body cavity of the annelid, and egg liberation is accomplished by release of the parasite and decay of its body.

Breeding of A. limnodrili takes place throughout the year. In the localities investigated there was no evidence that a fish host was required in the life-cycle. Progenesis was the only type of development encountered in Britain.

A. limnodrili exhibits an unusual degree of host specificity, being found only in species of Limnodrilus. It is suggested that this is due to differences in the composition of the coelom or intestine of Limnodrilus compared to other genera.

The degree of infection in all localities is very low, and shows no regular seasonal variation. There is no similarity in the seasonal changes in different localities.

The relationship between the host and parasite is a stable one, and there is little mutual damage. Factors contributing to this stability are discussed.

The development of A. limnodrili is compared with that of other species of Archigetes, and the life-history discussed with particular reference to the phenomenon of progenesis.

I wish to thank Professor R. J. Pumphrey in whose Department this work was carried out, and Dr J. C. Chubb for his constant advice and criticism. I also wish to thank Dr K. H. Mann and the University of Reading for provision of specimens and permitting me the use of their facilities. The work was carried out during the tenure of a Nature Conservancy Research Studentship.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1965

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

Calentine, R. L. (1964). The life cycle of Archigetes iowensis (Cestoda: Caryophyllaeidae). J. Parasit. 50, 454–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Janiszewska, J. (1950). Biacetabulum sieboldi, est-elle la forme adult d'Archigetes sieboldi Leuck.? Zool. Polon. 5, 5765.Google Scholar
Kennedy, C. R. (1964). The biology of some freshwater oligochaetes. Ph.D. thesis, University of Liverpool.Google Scholar
Kennedy, C. R. (1965). Taxonomic studies on Archigetes Leuckart, 1878 (Cestoda: Caryophyllaeidae). Parasitology, 55, 439–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kulakowskaya, O. P. (1961). Data on the fauna Caryophyllaeidae (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) in the U.S.S.R. (Transl. title) Parazit. Sb. 20, 339–55.Google Scholar
Kulakowskaya, O. P. (1962 a). Progenetic cestodes in the body cavity of Oligochaeta, (Transl. title) Dopov. Akad. Nauk Ukr. RSR. 6, 825–9.Google Scholar
Kulakowskaya, O. P. (1962 b). Development of Caryophyllaeidae (Cestoda) in an intermediate host. (Transl. title). Zool. Zh. 41, 986–92.Google Scholar
Szidat, L. (1938). Brachyurus gobii n.gen. n.sp. eine neue Caryophyllaeiden-Art aus dem Gründling, Gobio fluviatilis Cuv. Zool. Anz. 124, 249–58.Google Scholar
Wisniewski, L. W. (1930). Das Genus Archigetes R. Leuck. Eine Studie zur Anatomie. Histogenese, Systematik und Biologie. Mém. Acad. Polon. Cracovie Classe Math. Nat. B. 2, 1160.Google Scholar
Yamaguti, S. (1934). Studies on the helminth fauna of Japan. Pt. 4, Cestodes of fishes. Jap. J. Zool. 6, 1112.Google Scholar