The Life Cycle of Contracaecum multipapillatum (von Drasche, 1882) Lucker, 1941 (Nematoda: Heterochelidae)

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Abstract
The life cycle of Contracaecum multlpapillatum (von Drasche, 1882) Lucker, 1941 from the water turkey, Anhinga anhinga leucogaster, is partly clarified. The eggs develop in 5 days at 21 C to the first-stage larva. These molt within the egg into the ensheathed second stage that hatches spontaneously in 5 to 7 days. Freshwater copepods (Cyclops vernalis) become infected when they ingest free-swimming second-stage larvae. Exsheathment takes place in the intestine and the larvae penetrate into the hemocoel where partial growth occurs but no molts. The guppy, Lebistes reticulatus, becomes infected when infected copepods are ingested. Larvae penetrate the intestine of the fish and enter various abdominal organs where they become encapsulated and continue to develop. The ventricular appendix and intestinal cecum show inverse growth rates, with the cecum being longer in older larvae. The ventricular appendix serves as a pumping organ to aid in the ingestion of blood. Infected guppies show difficulty in swimming and a high mortality rate. Transfer of larval stages from guppies to piscivorous fish was demonstrated. The probable life cycle is discussed.

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