Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L)
ABSTRACT The habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula in the alimentary tract of eels was studied in natural infections and in fish maintained experimentally under different regimes. The parasite exhibited a preference for a particular region (55 to 65%) of the alimentary c...
Published in: | Journal of Helminthology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1982
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x00034349 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022149X00034349 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022149x00034349 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022149x00034349 2024-05-12T07:52:59+00:00 Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) Kennedy, C. R. Lord, D. 1982 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x00034349 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022149X00034349 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Journal of Helminthology volume 56, issue 2, page 121-130 ISSN 0022-149X 1475-2697 Animal Science and Zoology General Medicine Parasitology journal-article 1982 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x00034349 2024-04-18T06:53:54Z ABSTRACT The habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula in the alimentary tract of eels was studied in natural infections and in fish maintained experimentally under different regimes. The parasite exhibited a preference for a particular region (55 to 65%) of the alimentary canal which did not differ in different species of host, but habitat specificity was not very precise as there was considerable variation between individual hosts and A. clavula was capable of surviving and maturing in all regions of the intestine. The mean position of males was slightly anterior to that of females, and the over-all sex ratio was in favour of females. At high levels of infection the range of the parasites was extended and the mean position was significantly more anterior when compared to single worm infections. The parasite remains in the same site throughout the course of an infection: there was no posterior migration and gravid females occurred in the same proportion in all regions of the intestine. The mean position of the parasite did not change when the host was starved, or maintained in 100% sea water or with reduced aeration or at high temperatures. The results were compared with the habitat specificity exhibited by other species of freshwater fish acanthocephalans, and it was concluded that A. clavula was as adaptable and hardy as its present host, the eel. Article in Journal/Newspaper Anguilla anguilla Cambridge University Press Journal of Helminthology 56 2 121 130 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology General Medicine Parasitology |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology General Medicine Parasitology Kennedy, C. R. Lord, D. Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology General Medicine Parasitology |
description |
ABSTRACT The habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula in the alimentary tract of eels was studied in natural infections and in fish maintained experimentally under different regimes. The parasite exhibited a preference for a particular region (55 to 65%) of the alimentary canal which did not differ in different species of host, but habitat specificity was not very precise as there was considerable variation between individual hosts and A. clavula was capable of surviving and maturing in all regions of the intestine. The mean position of males was slightly anterior to that of females, and the over-all sex ratio was in favour of females. At high levels of infection the range of the parasites was extended and the mean position was significantly more anterior when compared to single worm infections. The parasite remains in the same site throughout the course of an infection: there was no posterior migration and gravid females occurred in the same proportion in all regions of the intestine. The mean position of the parasite did not change when the host was starved, or maintained in 100% sea water or with reduced aeration or at high temperatures. The results were compared with the habitat specificity exhibited by other species of freshwater fish acanthocephalans, and it was concluded that A. clavula was as adaptable and hardy as its present host, the eel. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kennedy, C. R. Lord, D. |
author_facet |
Kennedy, C. R. Lord, D. |
author_sort |
Kennedy, C. R. |
title |
Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
title_short |
Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
title_full |
Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
title_fullStr |
Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) in eels Anguilla anguilla (L) |
title_sort |
habitat specificity of the acanthocephalan acanthocephalus clavula (dujardin, 1845) in eels anguilla anguilla (l) |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1982 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x00034349 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022149X00034349 |
genre |
Anguilla anguilla |
genre_facet |
Anguilla anguilla |
op_source |
Journal of Helminthology volume 56, issue 2, page 121-130 ISSN 0022-149X 1475-2697 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x00034349 |
container_title |
Journal of Helminthology |
container_volume |
56 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
121 |
op_container_end_page |
130 |
_version_ |
1798839526145130496 |