Suzana B. Amato

Eurytrema coelomaticum (Digenea, Dicrocoeliidae): the effect of infection on carbohydrate contents of its intermediate snail host, Bradybaena similaris (Gastropoda, Xanthonychidae)

The interface Eurytrema coelomaticum/Bradybaena similaris was studied by quantifying the amount of glucose on the hemolymph and the content of glycogen in the cells of the digestive gland and the cephalopedal mass of infected and uninfected snails. Samples were analyzed on days 0, 30, 90 and 150 post-infection. The infected snails had less glucose in the hemolymph, with a reduction of 67.05 por cento at 30 days, and 62.09 por cento at 90 days post-infection. The reduction in glycogen content was 86.41 por cento in the digestive gland and 79.1 por cento in the cephalopedal mass at 30 days, and 92.71 por cento and 90.89 por cento in these organs respectively at 90 days post-infection. It is proposed that the sporocysts absorb glucose directly from the hemolymph.

Epidemiology of Fasciola hepatica infection in the Paraíba River Valley, São Paulo, Brasil.

The study revealed that although Lymnaea columella and Stenophysa marmorata were found in the same habitat, only L. columella harbored intramolluscan stages of F. hepatica. The population density of L. columella cyclically decreased between September and February, and increased from March to September. The drought that occurred between June and November 1981 dramatically reduced the number of snails collected. Larger snails were collected in March-July and November-December, while the smaller snails were collected in January-February and August-October, suggesting that there may be two generations of L. columella per year. The highest prevalence levels of infection in L. columella were: first year, June 8.82%, September 9.09% and October 10.52%; second year, March 6.25% and April 6.89%; third year, July 7.69%, August 10.25%, April 17.91% and May 13.91%. Results obtained with tracer sheep showed that the largest numbers of metacercariae were on pasture between June and October, and between March and April, but the infection was present during most of the year.

New species of Temnocephala Blanchard (Platyhelminthes, Temnocephalida) ectosymbiont on giant water bugs, Belostoma spp. (Hemiptera, Belostomatidae) from southern Brazil

A new species of Temnocephala Blanchard, 1849 is described from southern Brazil, ectosymbiont on giant water bugs (aquatic hemipterans), Belostoma spp. from the greater Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul. Some hemipterans examined were positive for this species of Temnocephala and carried bunches of eggs between the first two pairs of legs and between the first pair of legs and the rostrum, as well as adult and young specimens. The adults were darkly pigmented (greenish-brown), mimetizing the color of the hemipteran hosts. The new species is similar to Temnocephala decarloi Moretto, 1978, from Argentina, the only other species of Temnocephala from belostomatid hemipterans known to date, by having an extra long and curved cirrus, but differs by having the distal portion of the introvert not bent as a full-bent smoking pipe-like, as the author depicted originally for T. decarloi.

Eurytrema coelomaticum: influence of the infection on the reproduction and nucleic acids contents in the albumen gland and ovotestis of Bradybaena similaris

The number of eggs laid per snail in Bradybaena similaris and the nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) in the albumen gland and ovotestis were quantified in snails infected with sporocysts of the digenetic trematode Eurytrema coelomaticum. The total number of eggs laid per mollusc was reduced by 96.32% at the end of the larval development. The DNA concentration increased by 700%, and the RNA concentration was reduced by 8.38% by the time when the daughter sporocysts of E. coelomaticum were released from B. similaris. The relation between these values and the inhibition of the reproduction observed in infected molluscs is discussed.

Análise faunística dos helmintos de pardais (Passer domesticus L., 1758) capturados em Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Sparrows captured in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, were examined through necropsy and the helmints found were identified. The prevalence, intensity of infection and the habitat of each helminth species found are showed. An analysis of the helminth fauna using the importance value of the species collected indicated that in the sparrow the dominant species are: Leucochloridium parcum, Tanaisia inopina, Choanotaenia passerina, Dispharynx nasuta and Tetrameres minima; and the co-dominant species are: Echinostoma revolutum, Eumegacetes mediximus and Mediorhynchus papillosus. According to the host specificity were classified as specialist species: L. parcum, T. inopina, C. passerina and T. minima; and as generalist species: E. revolutum, E. medioximus, D. nasuta and M. papillosus. Echinostoma revolutum was found for the first time in P. domesticus. The species E. medioximus , T. minima and D. nasuta were found for the first time in the sparrow in Brazil. The species C. passerina and M. papillosus were found for the first time in Brazil, expanding their distribution to the Neotropical region.

Philophthalmus gralli (Digenea: Philophthalmidae) parasite of Anas bahamensis and Amazonetta brasiliensis, from Lagoons of Maricá county, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Forty ducks, 18 Anas bahamensis (white-cheecked pintail) and 22 Amaxonetta brasiliensis (Brazilian duck) from Marica and Guarapina lagoons, Marica, RJ, Brazil, were examined. The prevalence of Philophthalmus gralli in A. bahamensis was 22.2% ans in A. brasiliensis was 27.27%. This is the first record of P. gralli in the Neotropical region, and A. bahamensis and A. brasiliensis are new host records for P. gralli.

Natural hosts of Notocotylus breviserialis (Digenea, Notocotylidae) parasite of brazilian waterfowl

Notocotylus breviserialis has been collected from Anas bahamenis L. and Amazonetta brasiliensis (Gmelin), in Marica, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the first time that this digenean is collected as adult in its natural hosts, and this is its first record for the neotropical region. The prevalence of N. breviserialis was 5.56% and 18.18% in A. bahamensis and in A. brasiliensis, respectively. New morphological data about the location of the vitelline glands and previtellinic space measurements are presented.

Eurytrema coelomaticum (Giard & Billet) (Digenea, Dicrocoeliidae) em Bradybaena similaris (Férussac) (Gastropoda, Xanthonychidae): alterations in calcium deposits and in the reproductive function of its first intermediate host

The influence of the parasitism by the digenetic trematode Eurytrema coelomaticum (Giard & Billet, 1892) over the calcium mobilization and the reproductive function of its first intermediate host, the snail Bradybaena similaris (Ferussac, 1821) was experimentally studied in infected and uninfected snails maintained in laboratory under controlled conditions of nutrition, humidity and temperature. The calcium of the shells of infected and uninfected snails was quantified by using a technique of volumetric complexation. The amount of calcium present in the tissue was evaluated by using the histochemistry techniques of Dahl and von Kossa. The alteration in the reproductive function was evaluated through the egg production, and by histological follow up of the snails gametogenesis, in the infected and uninfected snails. The Students test t showed that there was no significant difference in relation to size, weight and calcium concentration in the shells of infected and uninfected snails. The analysis of nonlinear regression, polynomial of 4th order, showed an highly positive relation to weight and size of shell to infected and uninfected snails, and an weakly significant relation to calcium concentration in the shells and shells size of infected snails. The histochemistry techniques demonstrated a large calcium deposition in the cells of the digestive glands of the infected snails when compared to the uninfected ones. The histological study of the ovotestis of the infected snails demonstrated that the gametogenesis of these snails was abnormal. The ovulogenesis was the most alterated and at 45 days post-infection the histological sections showed no ovocytes present in the ovotestis.

Fimbriaria fasciolaris and Cloacotaenia megalops (Eucestoda, Hymenolepididae), Cestodes from Brazilian Waterfowl

Two cestode species, Fimbriaria fasciolaris (Pallas, 1781) Frölich, 1802 Cloacotaenia megalops (Nitzsch in Creplin, 1829) Wolffhügel, 1938 collected from Anas bahamensis Linné, 1758 and Amazonetta brasiliensis (Gmelin, 1758) in lagoons of the Maricá District, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are described. This is the first record of F. fasciolaris parasitizing A. bahamensis. The prevalence, intensity of infection, and mean intensity of infection for both species are given. Overdispersion distribution is reported for F. fasciolaris with 535 specimens collected in a single A. bahamensis. A key for the genera in the Fimbriariinae is presented. Anatomical features of F. fasciolaris and C. megalops are discussed.

Parasitismo natural de Bradybaema similaris (Férussac, 1821) por Postharmostomum gallinum Witenberg, 1923

A total of 4,298 snails Bradybaena similaris were collected from the rural area of Rio de Janeiro County and from the Counties of Paracambi and Itaguai, State of Rio de Janeiro. Two theousand and five of these snails had metacercariae in their pericardial cavity. The cllecting was done between October 1983 and September 1986. The anhual average prevalences were: 42.89% (1st year), 43.42% (2nd year) and 55.86% (3rd year). Experimental infection in chicks allowed the identification of these metacercariae as Postharmostomum gallium. The small variation in size observed among metacercariae from the same host indicates that recruitment does not occur on a continuous basis. Statistical analysis showed no correlation between the snail size and the number of metacercariae in the pericardical cavity, and that the snail mortality observed in the laboratry was due to the parasitic infection.