Parasitology, Harold W. Manter Laboratory of
Date of this Version
1975
Abstract
In addition to listing digenetic trematodes found in cephalopods, we provide descriptions of adults of Derogenes varicus and larvae of Lecithochirium microstomum, Lecithochirium sp., Elytrophallus sp., Monilicaecum sp., and Stephanochasmus sp. Only the first had been described previously from cephalopods, and the last represents the first record of a nonpiscine second intermediate host for a species of Stephanochasmus. We found 15 species infected, which brings to nearly 30 the total number of squids, octopods, and cuttlefish reported to be infected with Digenea. Many early records of trematodes in cephalopods are actually reports of Monogenea, Cestoda, or reproductive organs of cephalopods, and these are reviewed.
Our records suggest that cephalopods may serve as second intermediate or final hosts for trematodes such as Stephanochasmus sp. and D. varicus, respectively. More usually, cephalopods act as paratenic hosts capable of being important and, presumably, sometimes vital links in the completion of life cycles of some Digenea. In this way, they fulfill the role of piscine hosts with equivalent food preferences and parasites. Adults of all the worms discussed are parasites of fishes.
Comments
Published in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (1975) 55: 893-910. Copyright 1975, Cambridge Journals. Used by permission.