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The role of Bithynia tentaculata in the transmission of larval digeneans from a gravel pit in the Lower Thames Valley

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2024

N.J. Morley ,
M.E. Adam  and
J.W. Lewis
N.J. Morley*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
M.E. Adam
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
J.W. Lewis
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
*
*Fax: +44 (0)1784 434326 Email: n.morley@rhul.ac.uk
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Abstract

The freshwater snail, Bithynia tentaculata (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia), is frequently found in gravel pits and its role in the transmission of larval digeneans was assessed in one of these unstable water bodies from the Lower Thames Valley (UK) from June 1982 to December 1984. Eight species of cercarial and five species of metacercarial infections were reported from B. tentaculata, with up to 7.7% and 4.7% prevalence of infections, respectively, occurring in the snail, making it the most important host at this site. Seasonal peaks in cercarial infections occurred in late autumn/early winter but little seasonality was apparent in the occurrence of metacercarial infections. The life history characteristics of both hosts and parasites, which can affect intramolluscan digenean dynamics, are discussed.

Type
Review Article
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 78 , Issue 2 , June 2004 , pp. 129 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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