Some aspects of the morphology, population structure and larval biology of Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cestoda: Diphyllidea), a parasite of the clawed toad, Xenopus laevis

Abstract

The morphology of Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cohn 1906) Blanchard (1908), a diphyllidea cestode from the African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, is examined with respect to variability reported in the literature. The parasite has a high prevalence of infection (68, 9%) in the X laevis population studied and shows a preference for attachment in the anterior duodenum. Approximately 76% of the worms recovered were juveniles. Coracidia had an LT50 of 6 h and transmission is thought to take place in darkness at the sediment/water interface. The copepod Eucyclops gibsoni serves as an intermediate host and it is suggested that chaoborid larvae may act as paratenic hosts.