A Further Contribution to the Life History of Alloglossidium corti (Lamont), with Especial Reference to Dragonfly Naiads as Second Intermediate Hosts

Abstract

Previously two investigators have reported on the life history of Alloglossidium corti, a trematode found in the intestine of certain catfish. McCoy (I928) established its life cycle experimentally. He discovered that the cercariae which were found in Heliosoma trivolvia penetrated and encysted in both crayfish and dragonfly naiads. When these infested animals were fed to the bullhead, Amieurus nebulosus, the adult flukes were recovered. He found the naturally infested metacercariae in crayfish, but not in dragonfly naiads. McCoy believed that he was working with a new species, and thus described it as Plagiorchis amieurensis. The taxonomic studies of Simer (I929), Mueller (I930) and Van Cleave and Mueller (I934), however, show that he was dealing with Alloglossidium corti instead.