Migration and development of swim-bladder nematodes, Cystidicola spp. (Habronematoidea), in their definitive hosts

Abstract

Third-stage larvae of Cystidicola cristivomeri White, 1941, and C. farionis Fischer, 1798, migrated directly via the pneumatic duct to the swim bladder of lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, and rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, respectively. Larvae reached the swim bladder as early as 16 h after fish were infected using a stomach tube. At 4–10 °C, mature male and female C. cristivomeri and C. farionis were first recovered 67 and 210 days, and 112 and 235 days, respectively, after infection. Cystidicola cristivomeri is probably long-lived; there was no evidence that any died in lake trout infected for up to 600 days.Large numbers of third-stage cystidicolid larvae accumulated without maturing in the swim bladder of naturally infected lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis, from Lake Nipigon, northwestern Ontario. When given to rainbow trout, these larvae matured and the adult nematodes were identical to C. farionis. These results suggest that the swim-bladder nematode that matures in lake whitefish is a distinct species.