Fate of oncomiracidia of Heterobothrium okamotoi (monogenea) attaching to the body surface of tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes

Abstract

Oncomiracidia of the gill monogenean Heterobothrium okamotoi experimentally attached to both the body surface and gills of tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes. While worms disappeared from the body surface in 3 days, those on the gills showed an increase in number in 12 days. When worms were removed from the body surface with a formalin treatment, such an increase was not observed in worms on the gills. Naïve fish became infected, when cohabiting with fish just after challenge, although they were separated with a mesh screen. These results demonstrate that H. okamotoi can reinfect new hosts after detachment from the body surface of previous hosts. © 2006 The Japanese Society of Fish Pathology.