Chapter 19 - Class Monogenea Most species are ectoparasitic There are 3 endoparasitic species: one in the coelom of elasmobranchs, one in the ureter of.

Presentation on theme: "Chapter 19 - Class Monogenea Most species are ectoparasitic There are 3 endoparasitic species: one in the coelom of elasmobranchs, one in the ureter of."— Presentation transcript:

1 Chapter 19 - Class Monogenea Most species are ectoparasitic There are 3 endoparasitic species: one in the coelom of elasmobranchs, one in the ureter of freshwater fishes, and one in the urinary bladder of amphibians

2 General Characteristics Ectoparasitic species are usually attached to the gills, scales and fins of fishes; highly site specific Possess a holdfast sucker(s) at the posterior portion of the body - opisthhaptor; may possess hooks or anchors (hamuli)

3 In certain monogeneans, the haptor is adapted to hold onto the second gill lamellae of the host fish In these forms, the haptor is divided into a series of sucker like arms And may be strengthened with chitinous sclerites called clamps General Characteristics cont.

4 There are 2 main types of prohaptors: those that are not connected with the mouth funnel and those that are With the first case the head end is truncated, lobated or broadly rounded These worms often bear head glands which are important adhesive devises The second type of prohaptor has specializations of the mouth and buccal funnel; the simplest types have an oral sucker that surrounds the mouth General Characteristics cont. The anterior end of the body - prohaptor - has various adhesive and feeding organs

5 All monogeneans have a mouth, pharynx, bifurcated intestine, and cecae; there is no anus Monogeneans on the scales and tail fins of fishes feed on mucus Those that occur on gills feed on blood (from the branchial capillaries) General Characteristics cont.

6 Life Cycle They have a direct life cycle (no intermediate host) Eggs hatch and give rise to a oncomiracidium, a ciliated larvae that bears numerous hooks Thus the larva is adapted for both swimming and attachment The larvae attach onto the host via their haptor as soon as they come into contact with the host’s skin or gills These larvae have a life span of about 12-24 hrs Note: One monogenean (Gyrodactylus) is interesting in that it is the only monogenean that is viviparous There is no larvae; females give birth to live young and die

7 Life Cycle of Polystoma integerrimum Inhabits the urinary bladder of the adult frog Under the influence of hormones in the frog’s urine, they lay eggs in the frog’s bladder which pass out of the frog when it goes to breed in water Eggs hatch in the water, yielding an oncomiracidium When tadpoles hatch, oncomiracidia attach onto their external gills During metamorphosis the external gills become covered with skin to form branchial chambers; at this time the polystome larvae leave the branchial chamber and crawl over the body of the host toward the cloacal opening Through this opening that they enter the bladder of the host