Plerocercoid infestation of the Thailand reptiles in the Berlin Zoo
Odening, K.; Bockhardt, L.
Angewandte Parasitologie 17(1): 9-14
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-3162 PMID: 1267224 Document Number: 103386
Plerocercoids were found under the skin and in the body cavity of Ahaetulla nastua, Boiga multimaculata, Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus, and Varanus dumerilii, imported from Thailand. Starting with these plerocercoids the cestode cycle was experimentally traced in the laboratory (Lueheela = Spirometra sp.). Domestic cat and domestic dog served as definitive hosts, native copepods at first intermediate hosts, native anurans, reptiles, and chicken as second intermediate hosts and paratenic hosts. Fishes and a Rhesus Macque were shown to act as paratenic hosts. The ferret was only suitable as paratenic host but not as definitive host. The adult worm in the definitive host periodically cast off the whole strobila corresponding to a cyclic appearance of eggs in the faeces.