THE OCCURRENCE OF CONGENERIC TREMATODE SPECIES IN LYMNAEA EMARGINATA FROM LAKE AINSLIE, CAPE BRETON

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Farley, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1967
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Breton Island
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z67-134; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z67-134

A survey of larval trematodes in Lymnaea emarginata from Lake Ainslie, Cape Breton Island, showed the presence of 10 species. The two most abundant species were congeneric, with very similar life cycles: Plagiorchis muris and P. proximus. These two species never occurred together in large numbers at the same time, but showed both temporal succession and spatial isolation.The general level of parasitism was found to increase with increased size of adult snails, but juvenile snails were never found infected during the summer months.