Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
권호 표지

Surface ultrastructure of the adult stage of Acanthotrema felis (Trematoda: Heterophyidae)

  • Sohn, Woon-Mok (Department of Parasitology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Seo, Min (Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Dankook University) ;
  • Chai, Jong-Yil (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center)
  • Published : 2003.06.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The surface ultrastructure of Acanthotrema felis (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) adults, recovered from a kitten experimentally infected with the metacercariae, was observed using a scanning electron microscope. The worm was leaf-like, ventrally concave and covered with scale-like multi-pointed tegumental spines. The spines on the anterior surface were short but broad, and had 10-12 pointed tips. The cytoplasmic processes protruded around the spines, like pockets for the spines. The ventrogenital opening was crescent, or kidney-shaped, and had protuberances with minute spines on its surrounding tegument. The spines on the posterior surface were long, but narrow, with 6-8 pointed tips. The cytoplasmic processes on this tegument were ridge-like, and elevated along the row of the spines. The surface ultrastructure of A. felis is generally similar to that of other heterophyid flukes, but some features are characteristic, and may be of taxonomic and bio-ecological significance.

Keywords

References

  1. Chai JY, Chung HL, Choi MH, Sohn WM, Hong SJ, Lee SH (1992) Surface ultrastructure of Heterophyes nocens (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). Korean J Parasitol 30: 75-82.
  2. Chai JY, Guk SM, Han ET, et al. (2000) Surface ultrastructure of Metagonimus takahashii metacercariae and adults. Korean J Parasitol 38: 9-15.
  3. Chai JY, Kang YJ, Choi SY, Guk SM, Yu JR, Lee SH (1998) Surface ultrastructure of Metagonimus miyatai metacercariae and adults. Korean J Parasitol 36: 217-225.
  4. Fujino T, Higo H, Ishii Y, Saito S, Chen ER (1989) Comparative studies on two similar species of Haplorchis and Metagonimus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) - surface ultrastructure of adults and eggs. Proc Helminthol Soc Wash 56: 35-41.
  5. Hong SJ, Chai JY, Lee SH (1991) Surface ultrastructure of the developmental stage of Heterophyopsis continua (Trenatoda: Heterophyidae). J Parasitol 77: 613-620.
  6. Koie M (1977) Stereoscan studies of cercariae, metacercariae and adults of Cryptocotyle lingua (Creplin, 1825) Fischoeder, 1903 (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). J Parasitol 63: 835-839.
  7. Koie M (1992) Scanning electron microscopy of cercariae, metacercariae and adults of Pygidiopsis ardeae Koie, 1990
  8. (Digenea: Heterophyidae). Parasitol Res 78: 469-474. Lee SH, Seo BS, Chai JY, Hong SJ (1984) Study on Metagonimus yokogawai (Katsurada, 1912) in Korean. VII. Electron microscopic observation on the tegumental structure. Korean J Parasitol 22: 1-10 (in Korean).
  9. Morris GP, Threadgold LT (1967) A presumed sensory structure associated with the tegument of Schistosoma mansoni. J Parasitol 53: 537-539.
  10. Sohn WM (2000) Surface ultrastructures of Stictodora fuscatum (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). Korean J Elect Microscopy 30: 205-212.
  11. Sohn WM, Han ET, Chai JY (2003) Acanthotrema felis n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) from the small intestine of stray cats in the Republic of Korea. J Parasitol 89: 154-158.
  12. Srisawangwong T, Pinlaor S, Kanla P, Sithithaworn P (1997) Centrocestus formosanus: surface morphology of metacercaria, adult and egg. J Helminthol 71: 345-350.
  13. Uga S, Morimoto M, Saito T, Rai SK (1998) Surface ultrastructure of Heterophyes heterophyes (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) collected from a man. J Helminthol Soc Wash 65: 119-122.
  14. Woo HC, Seo MD, Hong SJ (1998) Surface ultrastructure of juvenile and adult stages of Centrocestus armatus. J Helminthol 72: 215-219.