Further Observations on the Sexual Maturation of Female Schistosomes in Single-Sex Infections

Abstract

S. maltheei females could mature and produce eggs in the absence of males in mice and hamsters but only nonviable eggs were produced during the 88 week observation period. S. mansoni, S. rodhaini and S. bovis females were studied under similar conditions for up to 30, 36 and 66 weeks, respectively, but in none of these species were any eggs produced by the female worms. The contrasting behaviour of S. mattheei and S. bovis is further evidence of their specific distinctness.