DOCSLIB.ORG

Paradoxum (= Macrostomum) Was for the Put at My Disposal by Mr

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Paradoxum (= Macrostomum) Was for the Put at My Disposal by Mr 52 BASTERIA, Vol. 24, No. 4 en 5, 1960 Some observations on Leucochloridum paradoxum (= macrostomum) Rud. 1802, from the Snail Succinea putris L. by M.R. Honer (Institute for Veterinary Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, State University, Utrecht, The Netherlands) An exceptionally well-preserved specimen of Succinea putris L., infected with Leucochloridium paradoxum (= macrostomum) was for The put at my disposal by Mr. L. J. M. BUTOT investigation. snail had been collected by him in the South-Holland Biesbosch in 1958 and forms the basis of the following observations. BRIEF HISTORICAL SURVEY Leucochloridium for has been known a long time and has usually been recorded from Succinea record from Plan- spp., although one is orbis WESENBERG-LUND confirm sp. (but (1931) was unable to this). The most complete studies on the parasite are by HECKERT (1899), MONNIG (1922) and WESENBERG-LUND (1931), to which the reader is referred for detailed descriptions and literature. A key to species known at that time was erected by MCINTOSH (1932). WESENBERG- able of but LUND was to examine some 150 specimens this parasite, unfortunately gave no detailed measurements of either sporocysts or described and cercariaea, although he the morphology ecology in some detail. Records of this parasite were brought together by VENMANS (1951), list find to whose this by Mr. L. J. M. BUTOT must now be added. MORPHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF SUCCINEA PUTRIS The of shell and width snail, length 1.94 cm 1.02 cm, was char- acterised by swollen, ovoid tentacles which increased markedly in size (and especially in diameter), when the side or sole of the foot was lightly pressed. After the removal of the shell and dissection, three the left large sporocysts were found, one on hand side of the body and two the hand side. The entire visceral on right mass was per- meated finer of with the terminations the sporocysts, making it dif- Honer: Leucochloridium paradoxum 53 and tissues. 1 shows ficult at times to separate host parasite Figure of the three in the of the snail, the appearance sporocysts body cavity after the removal of surrounding tissue. 1. Three from the of S. The Figure sporocysts body cavity putris. numbering full of is followed in the text. Only sporocyst 1 shown with its complement agamodistomes. Abbreviations: v.m., visceral mass; c.a., closing mechanism; a, agamodistomes. THE SPOROCYSTS examined The three sporocysts were separately by detaching just below of itself. the closing mechanism the large sporocyst Mr. BUTOT had observed that in the living state, the sporocysts were of the and confirmed and distri- ,,green-sac" variety this was by the type bution of pigment which was „clumped" as shown in Figure 2. In of with the case „brown" sacs the pigment is more even distributed occasional raised areas. 4 54 BASTERIA, Vol. 24, No. en 5, 1960 The followed the is round the pattern by pigment a spiral long of axis the sporocyst but mostly confined to the cap region and the number of in of 1 larger pigment clumps the case sporocyst no. was 47, with many smaller spots on the wall of the sac, overlapping the 1 Figure 2. Distribution of pigment clumping on the caps of sporocysts and be follows 3 (see Fig. 1). It will seen that the pigment a more or less spiral pattern. first and second segments. MONNIG (1922) first developed the idea that light stimulus on the pigmentation stimulates muscular con- tractions and causes the characteristic „pumping" of the sacs. This for of probably accounts the concentration the pigment on the cap of the sporocyst, and for its clumping for it is just the cap of the sporocyst that protrudes under the edge of the snail in the natural expanded condition. In addition, spirally running musculature can Honer: Leucochloridium paradoxum 55 be below the and these first acti- seen pigment groups are probably vated by the light stimulus. Table 1 Sporocyst/Measurement Length Breadth Number of cercariaea 1 9.20 1.60 61 1 2 9.41 1.23 97 [ 270 3 12.03 0.98 112 J all measurements in mm. The sporocysts were opened individually in separate watchglasses, measured and released and where they were the cercariaea were also of counted. The results are shown in Table 1 above. Although a total found 270 cercariaea (or agamodistomes) is recorded, more were in the finer ramifications of the sporocysts, bringing the total to from something like 360. WESENBERG-LUND states that 100 to 200 could found would agamodistomes be per ripe sac, so this suggest that we have to deal here with sacs that are not fully ripe. To gain an idea of the ripeness of the sacs, in a very approximate but divide of comparative manner, we can the volume V each sporo- the number of cyst by N agamodistomes present, when we have: Table 2 Sporocyst 1. 2. 3. V/N 303 110 81 in 3 ju It will be shown in the section dealing with the agamodistomes of that they are all the same order of size, so that the decreasing value of of V/N above-is not an expression the decreasing volume used but is indication of of by any one cercariaeum, an the density of crowding the agamodistomes. Thus they are nearly three times in 2 and forth. as tightly packed sporocyst as in sporocyst 1 so If we accept the figures given by WESENBERG-LUND (1931) as to the number of cercariaea a Table in fully ripe cyst, the results in 2 with this. In there the larvae agree sporocyst 3 are most present and 3 (112), there is the least room for them (81 ). This an /< gives idea of the tension and of leads swelling the sacs which finally to their and distribution of bursting thus their contents. 1960 56 BASTERIA, Vol. 24, No. 4 en 5, THE AGAMODISTOMES The number of agamodistomes was given in Table 1, per sporo- of taken random from and series of cyst. Groups 30 were at these a measurements made. These are tabulated below; all measurements in » are fx. Figure 3. Agamodistome (cercariaeum) seen in lateral view. The well-develop- ed cuticle is both oral and ventral (c) seen to have finger-like projections into suckers. Abbreviations 4. as in Figure Table 3 From Sporocyst 1 2 3 Length 813 779 806 Breadth 264 287 285 Oral sucker 186X165 204X184 200X178 Acetabulum 160 161 170 Pharynx (diam) 91 90 93 Length/Breadth 3.08 2.83 2.71 surrounded The agamodistomes are by a thick, very transparent cuticle and This (shown in Figures 3, 4, 5). acts as a protective membrane for the larva within the sac, and can become very hard and thickened older order finer in specimens. In to see details, chloral-lactophenol was used in this case to soften and clear the Honer: Leucochloridium paradoxum 57 parasites. Although this cuticle completely surrounds the agamodist- suckers and ome, there is a connecting channel between the the surface of larvae in fact feed the cuticle, suggesting that the may 4 on neighbouring larvae, as is the case with many rediae. In Figure small rounded bodies, three in number are indicated in the hind end of the These the A 1 of the body. are n a g e n reproductive organs of of the adult, for the larva, so-called, is really a small edition the adult trematode be found for further to in many birds, except the development of certain organ systems and their proportions to one another. Figure 4. Agamodistome viewed ventrally. The cuticle has been damaged by the fixation and mounting of the specimen. Key to abbreviations: o., oral of sucker; a., acetabulum; ph., pharynx an., Anlagen gonads; ex., excretory branches. bladder; gb., gut The problem still remains for the field biologist and for the labor- atory worker, as to how the Leucochloridium gains entry into its final hosts, which include non-carnivorous, seed-eating birds. Al- though it is generally accepted that birds peck off the swollen tenta- cles and become of thus infected, none the many experiments that have been carried out to this been prove have positive. In any case, does this not explain how seed-eating birds become infected. There would seem to be two possibilities worth investigating both in the field and in the laboratory, first that agamodistomes which have been from „exploded" a ripe sac on to leaves, stems, and so forth, in some that noncarnivorous birds encyst way so also have the chance of being infected, and secondly that some other intermediate host under can be involved certain circumstances, as was shown by KRULL MAPES in the of Dicrocoelium dendriticum & case (1952). 1960 58 BASTERIA, Vol. 24, No. 4 en 5, of from Figure 5. Photomicrograph agamodistome sporocyst 2, showing elaborations of the enclosing cuticle and general appearance of the cercari- under Abbreviations 4. aeum the microscope. as in Figure LITERATURE Studies KRULL, W. H., & C. MAPES, 1952. on the biology of Dicro- coelium dendriticum (Rud. 1819) Looss, 1899 (Trematoda: Di- croeliidae), including its relation to the intermediate host, Cionella lubrica (Miiller). Part VII: The second intermediate host of Dicro- coelium dendriticum. The Cornell Vet., vol. 603-604. 42, pp. of trematode MCINTOSH, A. 1932. Some new species worms of the genus Leucochloridium Carus, parasitic in birds from Northern Honer: Leucochloridium paradoxum 59 with and other of the Michigan, a key notes on species genus. Journ. Parasit., vol. 19, pp. 32-53- Leucochloridum macrostomum MONNIG, H. O. 1922. Ober (L.) (para- doxum Carus) ein Beitrag zur Histologie der Trematoden. Mono- 61 graph, Jena. pp.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Land Snails and Soil Calcium in a Central Appalachian Mountain
    Freshwater Snail Inventory of the Fish River Lakes 2/2012 Report for MOHF Agreement Number CT09A 2011 0605 6177 by Kenneth P. Hotopp Appalachian Conservation Biology PO Box 1298, Bethel, ME 04217 for the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund 37 Wiscasset Rd. Pittston, ME 04345 Freshwater Snail Inventory of the Fish River Lakes Abstract Freshwater snails were inventoried at the eight major lakes of the Fish River watershed, Aroostook County, Maine, with special attention toward pond snails (Lymnaeidae) collected historically by regional naturalist Olof Nylander. A total of fourteen freshwater snail species in six families were recovered. The pond snail Stagnicola emarginatus (Say, 1821) was found at Square Lake, Eagle Lake, and Fish River Lake, with different populations exhibiting regional shell forms as observed by Nylander, but not found in three other lakes previously reported. More intensive inventory is necessary for confirmation. The occurrence of transitional shell forms, and authoritative literature, do not support the elevation of the endemic species Stagnicola mighelsi (W.G. Binney, 1865). However, the infrequent occurrence of S. emarginatus in all of its forms, and potential threats to this species, warrant a statewide assessment of its habitat and conservation status. Otherwise, a qualitative comparison with the Fish River Lakes freshwater snail fauna of 100 years ago suggests it remains mostly intact today. 1 Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................ 1
    [Show full text]
  • December 2011
    Ellipsaria Vol. 13 - No. 4 December 2011 Newsletter of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Volume 13 – Number 4 December 2011 FMCS 2012 WORKSHOP: Incorporating Environmental Flows, 2012 Workshop 1 Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services into Freshwater Mussel Society News 2 Conservation and Management April 19 & 20, 2012 Holiday Inn- Athens, Georgia Announcements 5 The FMCS 2012 Workshop will be held on April 19 and 20, 2012, at the Holiday Inn, 197 E. Broad Street, in Athens, Georgia, USA. The topic of the workshop is Recent “Incorporating Environmental Flows, Climate Change, and Publications 8 Ecosystem Services into Freshwater Mussel Conservation and Management”. Morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday will address science, policy, and legal issues Upcoming related to establishing and maintaining environmental flow recommendations for mussels. The session on Friday Meetings 8 morning will consider how to incorporate climate change into freshwater mussel conservation; talks will range from an overview of national and regional activities to local case Contributed studies. The Friday afternoon session will cover the Articles 9 emerging science of “Ecosystem Services” and how this can be used in estimating the value of mussel conservation. There will be a combined student poster FMCS Officers 47 session and social on Thursday evening. A block of rooms will be available at the Holiday Inn, Athens at the government rate of $91 per night. In FMCS Committees 48 addition, there are numerous other hotels in the vicinity. More information on Athens can be found at: http://www.visitathensga.com/ Parting Shot 49 Registration and more details about the workshop will be available by mid-December on the FMCS website (http://molluskconservation.org/index.html).
    [Show full text]
  • Land Snails and Slugs (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda and Pulmonata) of Two National Parks Along the Potomac River Near Washington, District of Columbia
    Banisteria, Number 43, pages 3-20 © 2014 Virginia Natural History Society Land Snails and Slugs (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda and Pulmonata) of Two National Parks along the Potomac River near Washington, District of Columbia Brent W. Steury U.S. National Park Service 700 George Washington Memorial Parkway Turkey Run Park Headquarters McLean, Virginia 22101 Timothy A. Pearce Carnegie Museum of Natural History 4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080 ABSTRACT The land snails and slugs (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda and Pulmonata) of two national parks along the Potomac River in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia were surveyed in 2010 and 2011. A total of 64 species was documented accounting for 60 new county or District records. Paralaoma servilis (Shuttleworth) and Zonitoides nitidus (Müller) are recorded for the first time from Virginia and Euconulus polygyratus (Pilsbry) is confirmed from the state. Previously unreported growth forms of Punctum smithi Morrison and Stenotrema barbatum (Clapp) are described. Key words: District of Columbia, Euconulus polygyratus, Gastropoda, land snails, Maryland, national park, Paralaoma servilis, Punctum smithi, Stenotrema barbatum, Virginia, Zonitoides nitidus. INTRODUCTION Although county-level distributions of native land gastropods have been published for the eastern United Land snails and slugs (Gastropoda: Caeno- States (Hubricht, 1985), and for the District of gastropoda and Pulmonata) represent a large portion of Columbia and Maryland (Grimm, 1971a), and Virginia the terrestrial invertebrate fauna with estimates ranging (Beetle, 1973), no published records exist specific to between 30,000 and 35,000 species worldwide (Solem, the areas inventoried during this study, which covered 1984), including at least 523 native taxa in the eastern select national park sites along the Potomac River in United States (Hubricht, 1985).
    [Show full text]
  • Ceh Code List for Recording the Macroinvertebrates in Fresh Water in the British Isles
    01 OCTOBER 2011 CEH CODE LIST FOR RECORDING THE MACROINVERTEBRATES IN FRESH WATER IN THE BRITISH ISLES CYNTHIA DAVIES AND FRANÇOIS EDWARDS CEH Code List For Recording The Macroinvertebrates In Fresh Water In The British Isles October 2011 Report compiled by Cynthia Davies and François Edwards Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Maclean Building Benson Lane Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB United Kingdom Purpose The purpose of this Coded List is to provide a standard set of names and identifying codes for freshwater macroinvertebrates in the British Isles. These codes are used in the CEH databases and by the water industry and academic and commercial organisations. It is intended that, by making the list as widely available as possible, the ease of data exchange throughout the aquatic science community can be improved. The list includes full listings of the aquatic invertebrates living in, or closely associated with, freshwaters in the British Isles. The list includes taxa that have historically been found in Britain but which have become extinct in recent times. Also included are names and codes for ‘artificial’ taxa (aggregates of taxa which are difficult to split) and for composite families used in calculation of certain water quality indices such as BMWP and AWIC scores. Current status The list has evolved from the checklist* produced originally by Peter Maitland (then of the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology) (Maitland, 1977) and subsequently revised by Mike Furse (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology), Ian McDonald (Thames Water Authority) and Bob Abel (Department of the Environment). That list was subject to regular revisions with financial support from the Environment Agency.
    [Show full text]
  • CHITTENANGO OVATE AMBER SNAIL (Novisuccinea Chittenangoensis)
    CHITTENANGO OVATE AMBER SNAIL (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) RECOVERY PLAN First Revision Original Approval: March 24, 1983 Prepared by Alvin Breisch New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Albany, New York and Robyn Niver U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cortland, New York in cooperation with the Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail Recovery Team for Region Five U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hadley, Massachusetts Approved: ____________________________________________________ Regional Director, Region Five Date: ____________________________________________________ * * * Recovery plans published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delineate reasonable actions that are needed to recover and protect listed species. Plans are sometimes prepared with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others; however, they do not necessarily represent either the views or the official position of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and they represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been formally approved by the Regional Director. Achievement of recovery objectives and availability of necessary funds are contingent upon budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species status, and the successful completion of recovery actions. Literature citations for this document should read as follows: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2006. Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) Recovery Plan, First Revision. Hadley, Massachusetts. xiii + 55 pp. Additional copies of this plan can be obtained from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New York Field Office 3817 Luker Road Cortland, New York 13045 The recovery plan also can be downloaded from the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Morphological and Molecular Genetic Characters for Species Identification of Amber Snails Succinea Putris (Succineidae)
    Invertebrate Zoology, 2020, 17(1): 1–17 © INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY, 2020 An analysis of morphological and molecular genetic characters for species identification of amber snails Succinea putris (Succineidae) E.E. Prokhorova, R.R. Usmanova, G.L. Ataev Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Moyka River emb., 48, St. Petersburg, 191186 Russia. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT: We analysed morphological and genotypic diversity of snails Succinea putris (L., 1758) collected in the north-west of Russia and in the Republic of Belarus. No significant morphological differences between snails from different populations were found. The studied snails were identical by the nucleotide sequence of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of rDNA. This means that the secondary structure of the ITS2 transcript of rDNA can be used for species identification of S. putris. Genetic variability based on mitochondrial markers was insignificant. Genetic distances between samples made up 0.002–0.021 for COI gene loci and 0.003–0.01 for CytB gene loci. We found ten haplotypes of the mitochondrial gene CytB and nine haplotypes of the mitochondrial gene COI. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on the obtained nucleotide sequences elucidated interrelationships between geographically distant populations of S. putris and confirmed the taxonomic position of this species. The genetic homogeneity of snails S. putris found in our study probably explains a low variability of morphological characters in this species. How to cite this article: Prokhorova E.E., Usmanova R.R., Ataev G.L. 2020. An analysis of morphological and molecular genetic characters for species identification of amber snails Succinea putris (Succineidae) // Invert. Zool.
    [Show full text]
  • Snail and Slug Dissection Tutorial: Many Terrestrial Gastropods Cannot Be
    IDENTIFICATION OF AGRICULTURALLY IMPORTANT MOLLUSCS TO THE U.S. AND OBSERVATIONS ON SELECT FLORIDA SPECIES By JODI WHITE-MCLEAN A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012 1 © 2012 Jodi White-McLean 2 To my wonderful husband Steve whose love and support helped me to complete this work. I also dedicate this work to my beautiful daughter Sidni who remains the sunshine in my life. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my committee chairman, Dr. John Capinera for his endless support and guidance. His invaluable effort to encourage critical thinking is greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank my supervisory committee (Dr. Amanda Hodges, Dr. Catharine Mannion, Dr. Gustav Paulay and John Slapcinsky) for their guidance in completing this work. I would like to thank Terrence Walters, Matthew Trice and Amanda Redford form the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-APHIS-PPQ) for providing me with financial and technical assistance. This degree would not have been possible without their help. I also would like to thank John Slapcinsky and the staff as the Florida Museum of Natural History for making their collections and services available and accessible. I also would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman for her assistance in the collection of the fungi used in this dissertation. I am truly grateful for the time that both Dr. Gillett-Kaufman and Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Substantial Evidence Has Accumulated
    Competition and coexistence between the federally-threatened Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) and a non-native snail (Succinea sp. B) Final Progress Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – July 2010 Steven P. Campbell, Jacqueline L. Frair, and James P. Gibbs Department of Environmental and Forest Biology 246 Illick Hall, 1 Forestry Drive SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, New York 13210 Executive Summary Background The Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) (COAS) is a terrestrial succineid snail that is endemic to the spray zone of Chittenango Falls within Chittenango Falls State Park in Madison County, New York. COAS is designated as an endangered species by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and as a threatened species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The USFWS recovery plan for COAS has identified its small population size, limited distribution, and negative interactions with an introduced snail, Succinea sp. B (Sp. B), as the primary threats to the snail’s existence. Nevertheless, the nature and severity of these threats remain poorly understood, which has hampered the development and implementation of recovery efforts. To better understand these threats, USFWS enlisted researchers at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 2005 to conduct a study titled “Field investigation of the interactions between Chittenango Ovate Amber Snail (Novisuccinea chittenangoensis) (COAS) and invasive snails”. The main objectives of the study were to: 1. analyze a COAS monitoring database to produce population estimates and extract natural history information, 2. study the interactions between COAS and invasive Sp.
    [Show full text]
  • Asiatic Succineidae in the Indian Museum
    ASIATIC SUCCINEIDAE IN THE INDIAN MUSEUM. By H. SRINIVASA RAO, M.A., Officiating Assistant Superintendent Zoological Survey 0/ India. ' (Plate XXVIII.) The distinguished French malacologist Morelet wrote as iollows of the Succineidae : " Les animaux sont plus varies dans cette famille que leurs coquilles, et peutre fourniraient-ils de meilleurs caracters si ce moyen d'appreciation etait a la portee des na.turaIistes." With this statement my own observations are in full agreement and in the following notes I have discussed in detail only those species in which the radula as well as the shell is available for study, or those in which the shell is very distinct. I have also included Rhort notes on oth'er species in the collection of which the anatonlY is not known. In dealing with the Indian species in the collection I have h3 d the advantage of studying some amount of rna terial from Europe and America acclunulated in the collection by workers on Indian malacology . .But the European forms are unfortunately in a Dluch worse state of confusion than the Indian nlaterialas regards their nlutual relat.ionships. Until recently the luere collection of shells and their nanling without reference to the soft parts or the habits of the animals have been the recogni!3ed methods of studying this group, with the result that our knowledge of these anilnals is as incomplete as ever before. So far as I am aware zoological literature does not furnish a single instance of a complete account of anyone European species, at least "as r~gards those systelns of organs which are most likely to be useful for taxonomic purposes.
    [Show full text]
  • Micro-Ct As a Method to Visualize Intramolluscan Stages of Digenea © 2020 G
    ПАРАЗИТОЛОГИЯ, 2020, том 54, № 4, с. 312–321. УДК 595.122.2; 59.087 MICRO-CT AS A METHOD TO VISUALIZE INTRAMOLLUSCAN STAGES OF DIGENEA © 2020 G. A. Kremneva, *, L. Y. Kryuchkovab, A. A. Miroliubovc, V. A. Kalashnikovaa, D. Y. Krupenkoa a Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Saint Petersburg University, Universitetskaya emb. 7–9, Saint Petersburg, 199034 Russia b Research Centre for X-ray Diffraction Studies, Saint Petersburg University c Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034 Russia * e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Received 26.03.2020 Received in revised form 19.05.2020 Accepted 22.05.2020 X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a non-destructive method widely used for vi- sualization of three-dimensional structures. Application of micro-CT for comparative morphology is limited due to low x-ray contrast of soft animal tissues, but staining can increase image quality for such specimens. We suggest that micro-CT may be used for rough visualization of branched sporocysts of Digenea within intact hosts, and tested this approach on sporocyst of Leucochloridium paradoxum. Two infected mollusks were treated following two different protocols. One specimen was scanned in ethanol; the other was dried before scanning. Anatomical features of the host were better visible on microtomographic sections of the dried specimen. Regardless of the sample preparation, full-grown and underdeveloped broodsacs of the sporocyst were visible, but we could not trace its central part. We suggest how the micro-CT protocol can be modified for better results on branched digenean sporocysts. Keywords: micro-CT, phosphotungstic acid, critical point drying, Digenea, Leucochloridium par- adoxum, sporocyst, metacercariae, Gastropoda, Succinea putris DOI: 10.31857/S1234567806040045 312 X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a non-destructive method applicable for visualization of three-dimensional structures, widely used in the studies on various free- living (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Terrestrial Molluscs of the Tsyr-Pripyat Area in Volyn (Northern Ukraine): the First Findings of the Threatened Snail Vertigo Moulinsiana in Mainland Ukraine
    Vestnik zoologii, 51(3): 251–258, 2017 DOI 10.1515/vzoo-2017-0031 UDC 594.38(477.82) TERRESTRIAL MOLLUSCS OF THE TSYR-PRIPYAT AREA IN VOLYN (NORTHERN UKRAINE): THE FIRST FINDINGS OF THE THREATENED SNAIL VERTIGO MOULINSIANA IN MAINLAND UKRAINE I. Balashov1, M. Yarotskaya2, J. Filatova3, I. Starichenko3, V. Kovalov3 1Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, NAS of Ukraine, vul. B. Khmelnytskogo, 15, Kyiv, 01030 Ukraine E-mail: [email protected] 2NatureCenter “Pathfi nders”, Kharkiv, 61091, PO Box 7384, Ukraine E-mail: [email protected] 3V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Svobody Sq., 4, Kharkiv, 61022 Ukraine Terrestrial Molluscs of the Tsyr-Pripyat Area in Volyn (Northern Ukraine): the First Findings of the Th reatened Snail Vertigo moulinsiana in Mainland Ukraine. Balashov, I., Yarotskaya, M., Filatova, J., Starichenko, I., Kovalov, V. — 26 species of terrestrial molluscs were found in the studied area, including the rare and globally threatened Vertigo moulinsiana that is listed in “Habitats Directive” of the EU and in numerous red lists. Until now it was known in Ukraine only by one population in the Crimea that became extinct in 2014. Its conservation status, taking threats into account, is considered to be “Critically Endangered” on the national level in Ukraine. Th e characteristics of the phytocenoses to which it is restricted and the associated molluscan faunas are discussed. Key words: Mollusca, Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, fens, conservation. Introduction Several species of terrestrial molluscs that inhabit European fens are considered to be of high conserva- tion priority. First of all, it refers to the 4 species of the genus Vertigo listed in Annex II of European Unionʹs “Habitats Directive” and numerous red lists: V.moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849), V.
    [Show full text]
  • Life Cycle and Field Abundance of the Snail Succinea Costaricana (Stylommatophora: Succineidae), a Tropical Agricultural Pest
    Rev. Biol. Trop.,43(1-3): 181-188,1995 Life cycle and field abundance of the snail Succinea costaricana (Stylommatophora: Succineidae), a tropical agricultural pest Carlos Villalobos M. \ Julián Monge-Nájera1.2, Zaidett Barrientos3and José Franc04 I Revista de Biología Tropical, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica. Centro de Investigación General, UNED, San José, Costa Rica. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBIO), Apdo. 22-3100 Sto. Domingo, Heredia, Costa Rica. Coalición Costarricense de Iniciativas de Desarrollo,CINDE, Apdo. 7170-1000, San José, Costa Rica. (Revised 4-VIII-1994. Accepted 16-1-1995) Abstraet: The neotropical terrestrial snail Succinea costaricana has become a quarantenary pest in ornamental plants (Dracaena marginata, Dracaenaceae). Specimens were collected in GuápiJes, Limón, Costa Rica, where they reached a density of 282900 individualslha. In the field, reproduction is continuous (as is rainfall) and eggs, young and copu­ lating pairs are found mainly under moist litter. The population concentrated on plants rather than on the soil and greatly decreased after several control methods were applied. The life cycle was studied in the laboratory. The follow­ ing are mean values: 7 eggs/cluster; lA mm egg diameter; 0.25 and 0.84 mm embryo and newborn shell length, respectively; 11 days (embryo development at 24 oC); 16 mm/min locomotion speed (young). The animals can repro­ duce at 12 weeks (lifespan: 44 weeks). The pigmentation pattern is defined after seven weeks. Key words: Land snail, reproduction, life cycle, growth, quarantenary pest, population, spatial distribution. Most knowledge about the cosmopolitan ter­ La Palma and Guácimo, near Guápiles, Limón restrÍal snail genus Succinea Drapamaud 1801 Province, Costa Rica (von Martens 1892- (Succineidae) is based on European or North 1901).
    [Show full text]