Studies on the behaviour of the oncomiracidia of the monogenean parasitesHexabothrium appendiculatumandLeptocotyle minorfrom the common dogfish,Scyliorhinus canicula

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Abstract
The gill-parasitic polyopisthocotylean monogenean,Hexabothrium appendiculatumand the skin-parasitic microbothriid monogenean,Leptocotyle minorshare the same host, the common dogfishScyliorhinus canicula. The larvae of these parasites are stimulated to hatch by host skin secretions and the behaviour patterns of these larvae have been found to be remarkably similar. The freshly hatched oncomiracidia of both parasites rarely remain swimming (in the presence of hatching stimulants) for more than 30 min; there is a strong tendency for the larvae to attach themselves temporarily or permanently by either the anterior or posterior ends to glass or Perspex surfaces. Other important features of the behaviour of these oncomiracidia are their erratic mode of swimming and their apparent lack of response to environmental stimuli such as light, shadows, mechanical disturbance or water currents. There is some evidence that the swimming oncomiracidia of both parasites may be negatively geotactic after hatching but this response is weak and of short duration. The erratic swimming pattern, the lack of response to environmental factors and the readiness to attach to available surfaces seem likely to be particularly favourable for the establishment of larvae on the surfaces of dogfishes foraging at the sea bottom and providing the hatching stimulus for drifting eggs.

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