Studies on the Morphology and Life Cycle of Neoechinorhynchus emydis (Leidy), an Acanthocephalan Parasite of the Map Turtle, Graptemys geographica (Le Sueur)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
N. emydis is redescribed and an account of the life cycle is given. The egg is ingested by the os-tracod. Cypria maculata. and hatches in the intestine, releasing a typical acanthor which enters the body cavity of the ostracod and develops to an unencysted juvenile in 21 days without a period of attachment to the host''s intestine. Development within the ostracod was observed at daily intervals and is described. Ostracods containing juveniles evidently are ingested by snails, particularly Campeloma rufum. in which the worms enter and become encysted in the tissues, especially of the foot in which cysts are seen as opaque spots. Some growth of the juvenile occurs within the snail which serves as the principal source of infection of the map turtle whose food is largely mollusks. It is suggested that existing descriptions of N. emydis are based on more than 1 sp., another having been found to have Pseudemys scripta elegans as its host. The latter sp. is to be described in a subsequent paper.
Keywords