Life-cycles of cestodes of the genus Branchiopodataenia Bondarenko & Kontrimavichus, 2004 (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) from gulls in Chukotka

Data are presented on the life-cycles and the postembryonal development of four species of Branchiopodataenia Bondarenko & Kontrimavichus, 2004, B. anaticapicirra Bondarenko & Kontrimavichus, 2004, B. arctowskii (Jarecka & Ostas, 1984), B. haldemani (Schiller, 1951) and B. pacifica (Spassky & Jurpalova, 1968), which are specific parasites of gulls. The investigation was carried out in Chukotka (Chaun Bay) between 1971 and 1981 under natural and experimental conditions. Branchiopod crustaceans were exclusive natural and experimental intermediate hosts of all of the species studied; this fact provided additional evidence for the erection of Branchiopodataenia. The metacestodes exhibit a pattern of postembryonal development and a typical larval form, termed a 'cercocyst', which is a modification of a cysticercoid. This modification of the metacestode does not occur in species of Wardium Mayhew, 1925, the genus with which species of Branchiopodataenia had previously been affiliated.     

Life cycles of the Hymenolepis, Aploparaksis birulai Linstow, 1905 and Aploparaksis brachyphallos (Krabbe, 1869)]

Larvae of A. birulai from Lumbriculus variegatus and A. brachyphallos from Stylodrilus sp. from the Chauna lowland (Chukotka) are described. The species belonging of the larvae was proved experimentally. It was shown that Cysticercus sp. Hrabe, 1958 is a larvacyst of A. birulai. For larvacysts of A. birulai type the name of "floricerk" was suggested and for those of A. brachyphallos type--the name "tailed diplocyst". It is noted that A. uelcal Spassky et Jurpalova, 1968 is a synonym of A. brachyphallos (Krabbe, 1869) nec A. brachyphallos sensu Davies, 1938.     

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae), a parasite of the woodcock Scolopax rusticola (L.), and its life-cycle

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. is described from a woodcock Scolopax rusticola L. from Lithuania, Russia (Tver' Region) and the Ukraine. Initially, one specimen of this tapeworm was described and figured by Kornyushin (1975) as A. scolopacis Yamaguti, 1935 together with another specimens belonging to the latter species. A. kornyushini n. sp. and A. scolopacis are morphologically very similar species. They can be distinguished by the slightly different length of the rostellar hooks and by the shape of the cirrus, which lacks basal bulbus in the new species. A. kornyushini can be readily distinguished from the remaining species of Aploparaksis Clerc, 1903 from woodcocks by the structure of its fully-developed embryophore, which has polar thickenings and two large or a few smaller lateral projection; this combination of characters is unknown for embryophores other Aploparaksis spp. (except for A. scolopacis). The life-cycle of A. kornyushini was studied under experimental conditions in Lithuania. The metacestodes were located under the chlorogogenous tissue of the intestine of Dendrobaena octaedra (Lumbricidae). The metacestode exhibits a pattern of postembryonal development typical for the cysticercoid modification termed an 'ovoid diplocyst'.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aploparaksis demshini</Emphasis> n. sp. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae), a parasite of the woodcock <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scolopax rusticola</Emphasis> Linnaeus,and its life-cycle

Aploparaksis demshini n. sp. is described from a woodcock Scolopax rusticola L. from different parts of the Palaearctic (Lithuania, Karelia, the Urals, Primorskiy Kray). It differs from the most similar species A. belopolskajae Bondarenko, 1988, a parasite of snipes Gallinago spp., in the form and length of the rostellar hooks and the smaller cirrus, and from two other similar species, A. clavata Spasskaya, 1966 and A. schilleri Webster, 1955, by having an embryophore with polar thickenings and a spindle-shaped cirrus. The life-cycle of the parasite was studied under experimental conditions. The metacestodes were commonly located under the chlorogogenous tissue of the intestine of the earthworms Eisenia foetida(Savigny), Dendrobaena octaedra (Savigny) and E. nordenskioldi(Eisen), and in the wall of the intestine of the enchytraeid Briodrilus arcticus(Bell). The metacestodes exhibit a pattern of postembryonal development typical for the cysticercoid modification termed an ovoid diplocyst.     

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae), a parasite of the woodcock Scolopax rusticola (L.), and its life-cycle

Aploparaksis kornyushini n. sp. is described from a woodcock Scolopax rusticola L. from Lithuania, Russia (Tver' Region) and the Ukraine. Initially, one specimen of this tapeworm was described and figured by Kornyushin (1975) as A. scolopacis Yamaguti, 1935 together with another specimens belonging to the latter species. A. kornyushini n. sp. and A. scolopacis are morphologically very similar species. They can be distinguished by the slightly different length of the rostellar hooks and by the shape of the cirrus, which lacks basal bulbus in the new species. A. kornyushini can be readily distinguished from the remaining species of Aploparaksis Clerc, 1903 from woodcocks by the structure of its fully-developed embryophore, which has polar thickenings and two large or a few smaller lateral projection; this combination of characters is unknown for embryophores other Aploparaksis spp. (except for A. scolopacis). The life-cycle of A. kornyushini was studied under experimental conditions in Lithuania. The metacestodes were located under the chlorogogenous tissue of the intestine of Dendrobaena octaedra (Lumbricidae). The metacestode exhibits a pattern of postembryonal development typical for the cysticercoid modification termed an 'ovoid diplocyst'.