Abstract
Immune responses of earthworms to nematodes or other metazoan parasites have received little attention. While investigating the behavior of Rhabditis pellio in the earthworm, Apovreotodea trapezoides, Poinar and Thomas (1976) noted that most nematodes occurred in the bladders and tubules of the metanephridia. However, those that entered the coelom were promptly encapsulated and incorporated into “brown bodies.” These “brown bodies” not only contained nematodes but also protozoan cysts and other debris that occurred in the worm’s coelom. It was clear that the “brown bodies” constituted an immune response on the part of the worm which is probably typical for oligochaete annelids. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the ultrastructure of the “brown bodies” of A. trapezoides containing R. pellio.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Avel, M. 1959. “Classe des Annélides Oligochêtes” In “Traité de Zoologie” pp. 225–470, Vol. 5 (P. P. Grasse, ed.) Masson et C., Paris.
Cuénot, L. 1898. Etudes physiologiques sur les Oligochétes. Arch. Biol. 15, 79–124.
Liebmann, E. 1942. The coelomocytes of Lumbricidae. J. Morph., 71, 221–249.
Metchnikoff, E. 1892. Lecons Sur la Pathologie Comparée de L’inflammation. G. Masson, Paris.
Poinar, Jr. G. O. and Leutenegger, R. 1971, Ultrastructural investigation of the melanization process in Culex pipiens (Culicidae) in response to a nematode. J. Ultrastruat. Res., 36, 149–158.
Poinar, Jr. G. O. and Thomas, G. 1975. Rhabditis pellio Schneider (Nematoda) from the earthworm, Aporrectodea trapezoides Duges (Annelida). J. Nematol. 7, 374–379.
Tu, T.-J. 1937. Über die Bällchen in der Leibeshöhle der Regenwürmer. Zool. Jb. (Anat)., 63, 73–124.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1977 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Poinar, G.O., Hess, R.T. (1977). Immune Responses in the Earthworm, Aporrectodea trapezoides (Annelida), Against Rhabditis pellio (Nematoda). In: Bulla, L.A., Cheng, T.C. (eds) Comparative Pathobiology. Comparative Pathobiology, vol 3. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7299-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7299-2_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-7301-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-7299-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive