Oncomiracidial Behavior of Heterobothrium okamotoi (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae)

Abstract

We conducted a series of experiments to understand the behavioral characteristics of oncomiracidium of the monogenean Heterobothrium okamotoi and compared them with those of two other monogenean species, Heteraxine heterocerca and Neobenedenia girellae. Behavior of H. okamotoi oncomiracidium consisted of two alternate phases: a swimming phase with strong ciliary beatings and a stationary phase with ciliary beatings too weak to generate any movements. The duration of one swimming-stationary cycle considerably varied among individuals but tended to increase with larval age. During the 5-day monitoring, length of the swimming phase decreased while that of the stationary phase tended to increase as the larva became older. The locomotion patterns differed significantly among individuals, but as a whole, larvae showed random horizontal movement and no phototactic reaction. The oncomiracidium tended to move downward because it was heavier than seawater and also swam downward at the start of the swimming phase because its anterior part pointed downward when the larva was not swimming. Those behavioral characteristics of larval H. okamotoi are likely to have evolved in order to maximize the chance of encountering its benthic fish host, tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes.