The association of Zygocotyle lunata and Echinostoma trivolvis with Chaetogaster limnaei, an ectosymbiont of Helisoma trivolvis

Helisoma trivolvis snails collected from a lake in Warren County, New Jersey, in June 2007 possessed the ectosymbiont Chaetogaster limnaei (Annelida). Some of these snails were also infected with larval stages of Zygocotyle lunata and Echinostoma trivolvis. Chaetogaster limnaei associated with the infected snails fed on the cercariae of both digeneans. Zygocotylae lunata cercariae were observed in the stomach of C limnaei and whole cercariae were loosely attached to the ventral surface of the chaetogasters. Cercariae in the stomachs were digested within 48 hr and probably served as a source of nutrient for the annelids. Whole cercariae and 1 nonviable metacercaria of E. trivolvis were seen in the stomachs of the chaetogasters. The protective action of the chaetogasters on the transmission of the cereariae of E. trivolvis and Z. lunata to second intermediate hosts in the wild awaits further study.

Title	The association of Zygocotyle lunata and Echinostoma trivolvis with Chaetogaster limnaei, an ectosymbiont of Helisoma trivolvis
Creator	Fried, Bernard
	Huffman, J. E.
	Saxton, T. M.
	Peoples, R. C.
Publisher	Journal of Parasitology
Academic Department	Biology
Division	Natural Sciences
Organization	Lafayette College
Date Issued	April 2008
Date Available	2014-04-02T18:26:13Z
Type	Article
Language	English
Bibliographic Citation	Fried, B., et al. (2008 Apr) "The association of Zygocotyle lunata and Echinostoma trivolvis with Chaetogaster limnaei, an ectosymbiont of Helisoma trivolvis." Journal of Parasitology 94 (2): 553-554.
Standard Identifier	Handle 10385/1425
Standard Identifier	DOI 10.1645/GE-1388.1
Permalink	http://hdl.handle.net/10385/1425
Rights Statement	In Copyright
Rights Holders	American Society of Parasitologists