Development of Procamallanus saccobranchi (Nematoda: Camallanidae), a parasite of a freshwater fish in India

Abstract

The development of the nematode Procamallanus saccobranchi Karve, 1952, a parasite in the stomach of the fish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch), was studied in Mesocyclops crassus (Fischer) and Mesocyclops leuckarti (Claus). After being ingested by the copepods the nematode first-stage larvae penetrated into the haemocoel of the intermediate host; there they moulted twice (on days 3 and 5 p.i. at 28-30°C) attaining the third, infective stage. The definitive host H. fossilis acquired infection by feeding on copepods harbouring infective-stage larvae; in the stomach of this definitive host, the larvae were observed to undergo two more moults. The third moult occurred on day 13 p.i. and the fourth moult on day 38 p.i. and day 66 p.i. in 'male' and 'female' larvae, respectively. The larval stages, including the moulting forms are described and illustrated.