Ultrastructural aspects of surface and attachment clamps of Paradiplozoon homoion (Monogena, Diplozoidae)
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Paradiplozoon homoion (Bychowsky et Nagibina, 1959) is a representative of blood-feeding ectoparasites from family Diplozoidae with specific life-cycle, parasitizing mainly on gills of cyprinid fish, where they can cause mechanical damage to the gill filaments, initiating the development of secondary infections (bacterial, mycotic) and anemia. During the diplozoon life cycle two larvae, the diporpae, pair and subsequently fuse permanently producing the typical X-shaped diplozoon body arrangement, this is a unique character for Diplozoidae. The samples of P. homoion were collected from the gills of bleak (Alburnus alburnus), which were caught in the littoral zone of the Mušov lowland reservoir. The fish gills were extracted and checked for the presence of all diplozoid ontogenetic stages. Parasites intended for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were washed in freshwater to remove any remaining mucus and then fixed in 2% osmium tetroxide and dehydrated through an ascending acetone series. The dehydrated samples were embedded in Spurr resin. In order to obtain a better orientation in basic diplozoon morphology several semi-thin sections (0.5 µm) of whole worm bodies were cut using a Leica EM UC6i. Sections were stained with toluidine blue. Ultrathin sections were contrasted with uranyl acetate, followed by citrate, and examined using a JEOL JEM-1010 TEM. The presentation provides detailed ultrastructural data on the surface and haptoral attachment clamps of P. homoion and brings new insights into the ultrastructure of Diplozoidae. Our findings support the hypothesis that the structure of particular neodermal compartments is similar within the Platyhelminthes. |
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