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A comparative field and laboratory investigation of Typhlocoelum cucumerinum (Digenea: cyclocoelidae) in various duck and snail hosts.

An extensive field survey of 12 duck species yielded two morphologically distinct populations of Typhlocoelum (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae). Studies on the variability of these two populations in conjunction with experimental cross infections provided conclusive evidence that they must be considered as subspecies of Typhlocoelum cucumerinum. A laboratory comparison of their survival strategies revealed that, in the definitive host, Typhlocoelum cucumerinum cucumerinum develops slowly, survives for an extended time and has a high fecundity, whereas Typhlocoelum cucumerinum sisowi develops more quickly, has a shorter longevity and a lower fecundity. In the intermediate host, T. c. cucumerinum develops more slowly than T. c. sisowi. The almost complete segregation of these two subspecies into dabbling and diving ducks in the field may be maintained by an ecological separation of the ducks as well as intrinsic differences between the two host-parasite associations.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.77085
Date January 1980
CreatorsScott, Marilyn Elizabeth.
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageDoctor of Philosophy (Institute of Parasitology)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 000595627, proquestno: AAINK52119, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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