Infection of Slugs with Theronts of the Ciliate Protozoan, Tetrahymena rostrata

Abstract

Tetrahymena rostrata is a free-living ciliated protozoan and is a facultative parasite of some species of terrestrial mollusks. It is a potential biopesticide of pest slugs, such as the grey field slug, which cause considerable damage to crops. T. rostrata has several developmental forms. Homogeneous preparations of the feeding stage cells (trophonts) and excysted stage cells (theronts) were compared for their ability to infect and kill Deroceras reticulatum slugs. Theronts were more effective and remained viable and infective, even after prolonged starvation.