Some observations on egg production and autoreinfection of Reighardia sternae(Diesing, 1864), a pentastomid parasite of the herring gull

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Abstract
Egg production by Reighardia sternae, implanted at various stages of maturity into the interclavicular air sacs of captive gulls, is described.Females produce only 2900 eggs per lifetime over a short patent period of 1–3 days. The problem of a direct life-cycle in relation to this unusually low fecundity is discussed, and speculation is advanced concerning a possible parasitic behavioural trait which could facilitate direct transmission. The hazards of the latter are also offset by auto-reinfection.