On the life history of the nematode Raphidascaris acus (Bloch, 1779) in the natural environment of the River Bystřice, Czechoslovakia

Abstract

the life history of the nematode Rughiduscuris acus was followed in the natural environment of the River Bystfice. The incidence, intensity of infection, and also the maturation of the nematode in the definitive host (Saimo truttu m. fario)indicate that the life history of this parasite exhibits an obvious annual cycle, when adult egg-producing female nematodes are present only from May until the beginning of July. This seasonal rhythm is largely due to changes in the food composition of the definitive host, although the effects of other factors cannot be excluded. In the River BystHce the main intermediate hosts of R. ucus are the bullhead (Cottus gobio) and the Siberian sculpin (Cottuspoecilopus) in the trout zone of the river and the stone Ioach (Noernacheilus barbutulus) in the lowland reaches. Larvae of the species Prodiamesa olivacca (Diptera: Chironomidue) were found to act as reservoir hosts for the second-stage larvae of Raphiduscuris acus.

OCCURRENCE AND INTENSITY OF PARASITES IN EUROPEAN CATFISH, Silurus glanis L., 1758 FROM THE ANZALI WETLAND, SOUTHWEST OF THE CASPIAN SEA, IRAN

“…R. acus was found in European catfish in the larval stage. Numerous species of piscivorous fishes from different families are reported as the hosts of adult R. acus (Moravec, 1994), but the principal definitive host of R. acus is pike (E. lucius), and frequently also brown trout (Salmo trutta) (Moravec, 1970). R. acus has been previously reported from E. lucius in the Anzali wetland (Sattari, 1996).…”

Complex interaction between proliferative kidney disease, water temperature and concurrent nematode infection in brown trout

“…However, the true relevance of brown trout as intermediate hosts for this nematode is still unclear. The development of R. acus is clearly seasonal, depending mainly on water temperature (Moravec 1970b(Moravec , 1979(Moravec , 2004. In the intermediate fish hosts, like roach or stone loach, the immune response was described as granuloma or abscess-like lesions containing nematode larvae at different stages of degeneration (Valtonen et al 1994, Koubková et al 2004.…”

“…Definitive hosts are most frequently pike and brown trout, but other salmonids and occasionally other fish species can also be affected (Smith 1984). The life cycle involves obligate intermediate hosts: various fish species, cyclostomes and gammarids, and rarely also amphibians (Moravec 1970a, 1996, 2004, Smith 1984. In the brown trout, nematodes usually mature in the gut (Smith 1984).…”

Common sculpin Cottus gobio as a natural paratenic host of Proteocephalus longicollis (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae), a parasite of salmonids, in Europe

“…It currently serves as the paratenic host of the nematode Cystidicoloides ephemeridarum (Linstow, 1872) (Moravec 1971, Moravec & De 1982 and as the intermediate or paratenic host of the nematode Raphidascaris acus (Bloch, 1779) (Moravec 1970, Gelnar et al 1990), frequent gastrointestinal parasites of European salmonids. Moreover, C. gobio serves frequently as the definitive host for the trout intestinal trematode Crepidostomum metoecus (Braun, 1900); having been ingested by a trout, the adult trematodes survive in this new, so-called postcyclic host.…”