Atypical lesions and infection sites of larval trematodes in marine gastropods from Argentina

GILARDONI, C; DI GIORGIO, G; ITUARTE, C; CREMONTE, F

DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS

INTER-RESEARCH

Año: 2018 vol. 130 p. 241 - 246

0177-5103

This study documents the lesions caused by 9 digenean larvae parasitizing 6 marinegastropod species from Patagonia, Argentina. Most digeneans produce a lesion where theparthenitae replace the gonadal tissues and also occupy part of the digestive gland. Three atypicallesions and tropism were observed in (1) Trophon geversianus (Muricidae) infected by Renicolidae gen. et sp. 1, where the sporocysts occur inside the gonad acini which retain their generalstructure due to the persistence of the acinus wall, (2) Nacella magellanica (Nacellidae) infectedby Renicolidae gen. et sp. 2, where the gonad is not affected and the sporocysts are located onlyamong the digestive gland tubules, and (3) Siphonaria lessonii (Siphonariidae) infected by Schistosomatidae gen. et sp., where fully developed cercariae occur inside the digestive tubules. Athigh infection intensities or in double infections, larvae can invade other organs (mantle, foot orgill) and, on occasion, may elicit hemocytic encapsulation.