Papers in the Biological Sciences
Date of this Version
6-1978
Abstract
In a survey of 64 Cnemidophorus sexlineatus, adult cestodes identified as Oochoristica bivitellobata with gravid proglottids were found in the coelomic cavity of two hand caught specimens at Cedar Point Biological Station, Ogallala, Nebraska, during June and July 1977. Two O. bivitellobata were found free in the coelom of a male lizard, whereas four were found in the coelom and one in the intestine of a female. No ruptures were found in the walls of the intestines of all lizards examined. In addition, 61 O. bivitellobata were found in the intestine of nine (14%) of the C. sexlineatus with an average of 5.8 (1-18) worms per infected host.
This is the first report of O. bivitellobata occurring extraintestinally. Active adults found in both the coelom and intestine suggest that both of these environments contain essential nutrients and osmotic characteristics that enable the worm to mature and carry out all differentiations leading to gravid proglottids. It is possible that the invasion of the coelom is accidental; however, these worms still possess an avenue of distribution by route of a predator.
Comments
Published in the Journal of Parasitology (June 1978) 64(3): 561-562. Copyright 1978, the American Society of Parasitologists. Used by permission.