In vitro development of Terranova decipiens (Nematoda) (Krabbe, 1878)

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: McClelland, G., Ronald, K.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1974
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Terranova
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z74-058; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z74-058

Eggs of Terranova decipiens were dissected from the vagina and uterus of adult worms from seals and incubated in seawater at 15C. Freshly hatched larvae were cultivated to preadults in Eagle's medium (MEM) with 20% fetal-calf serum.At 15C, 70% of the larvae exsheathed and grew to the infective stage without further molts. Infective larvae were 31.3 (27.7–33.3) mm in length after 52 weeks of cultivation and were similar in morphology to larvae from fish.At 35C, 80%. of cultivated larvae (5.0–24.2 mm in length) molted to preadult. There was a 25% increase in length over a 6-week, period. Cultivated preadults (6.1–36.8 mm in length) were morphologically similar to preadults from seals. They did not, however, complete development to adulthood, and an attempt to infect a seal with cultivated infective larvae was unsuccessful.The described in vitro developmental stages of T. decipiens form a useful guide to the in vivo identification of this important economic nematode.