Infectivity of, and Laboratory Infection with, an Elasmobranch Cestode, Lacistorhynchus tenuis (Van Beneden, 1858)

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Abstract
The presumptive life cycle of Lacistorhynchus tenuis (Cestoda) involves 3 hosts: a copepod, a teleost, and an elasmobranch. This study describes the laboratory infection of the copepod, Tigriopus californicus, mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, and the leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata. At room temperature, L. tenuis coracidia and procercoids were infective for up to 2 and 4 wk, respectively. The development of eversible tentacles by the plerocercoid took 3 mo at 12 to 15 C. Leopard sharks force-fed plerocercoids from laboratory infected mosquitofish and white croakers, Genyonemus lineatus collected from the field were infected with immature adults. More than 4 mo. are required for L. tenuis to develop proglottids.