Item Details

title

Population Biology and Landscape Ecology of Digenetic Trematode Parasites in their Gastropod Hosts, with Special Emphasis on Echinostoma spp.

author

Zimmermann, Michael R.

abstract

Digenetic trematode parasites are characterized by having complex life cycles involving both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, and are grouped into 1 of 2 categories. Allogenic parasites have at least one host capable of moving between aquatic habitats, while autogenic species have all hosts restricted to a single body of water. These life cycle categories help shape the transmission dynamics of trematode larval stages in their gastropod hosts. Allogenic parasites, particularly those cycling through waterfowl, have distinct seasonal trends in their infection patterns in gastropod first intermediate hosts due to their ephemeral nature, while autogenic species exhibit continuous recruitment due to the consistent presence of definitive hosts. Additionally, the ecology and abundance of the definitive hosts and snail size were intimately associated with the infection patterns of miracidia in their gastropod first intermediate hosts.

subject

Echinostoma

Life cycle

Metacercariae

Snail

Trematode

contributor

Esch, Gerald W. (committee chair)

Sukhdeo, Michael V. K. (committee member)

Eure, Herman E. (committee member)

Johnson, Erik C. (committee member)

Silman, Miles (committee member)

Zeyl, Clifford W. (committee member)

date

2014-07-10T08:35:35Z (accessioned)

2016-07-10T08:30:10Z (available)

2014 (issued)

degree

Biology (discipline)

embargo

2016-07-10 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/39292 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Dissertation