Venereal worms: sexually transmitted nematodes in the decorated cricket

The nematode, Mehdinema alii, occurs in the alimentary canal of the decorated cricket Gryllodes sigillatus. Adult nematodes occur primarily in the hindgut of mature male crickets, whereas juvenile nematodes are found in the genital chambers of mature male and female crickets. Here, we present experi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of parasitology Vol. 86; no. 3; p. 471
Main Authors Luong, L T, Platzer, E G, Zuk, M, Giblin-Davis, R M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.2000
Subjects
Animals
Female
Gryllidae - parasitology
Gryllidae - ultrastructure
Host-Parasite Interactions
Male
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Nematoda - physiology
Nematoda - ultrastructure
Sex Factors
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Summary:The nematode, Mehdinema alii, occurs in the alimentary canal of the decorated cricket Gryllodes sigillatus. Adult nematodes occur primarily in the hindgut of mature male crickets, whereas juvenile nematodes are found in the genital chambers of mature male and female crickets. Here, we present experimental evidence for the venereal transmission of M. alii in G. sigillatus. Infectivity experiments were conducted to test for transmission via oral-fecal contamination, same-sex contact, and copulation. The infective dauers of the nematode are transferred from male to female crickets during copulation. Adult female crickets harboring infective dauers subsequently transfer the nematode to their next mates. Thus, M. alii is transmitted sexually during copulation.
ISSN:0022-3395
DOI:10.1645/0022-3395(2000)086[0471:VWSTNI]2.0.CO;2