The attachment of the monogenean parasite Callorhynchicola multitesticulatus to the gills of its holocephalan host Callorhynchus milii

Abstract

Llewellyn J. and Simmons J. E. 1984. The attachment of the monogenean parasite Callorhynchicola multitesticulatus to the gills of its holocephalan host Callorhynchus milii. International Journal for Parasitology 14: 191–196. C. multitesticulatus when juvenile (up to about 10 mm long) attaches itself by four pairs of clamps to the secondary gill lamellae of its host the elephant fish Callorhynchus milii. However, in adult parasites the haptor invades the host tissue and the stalk connecting the haptor with the body-proper becomes surrounded by a sleeve of fibrous host inflammatory reaction tissue. The stalk is provided with annuli with anteriorly-directed flanges which are pressed into the walls of the sleeve of host tissue when the diameter of the stalk increases as a result of the contraction of well-developed sub-tegumentary longitudinal muscles.