Repository logo
 

Morphological observations on three baltic species of Corynosoma lühe, 1905 (acanthocephala, polymorphidae)

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Leidenberger, S 
Boström, S 
Wayland, MT 

Abstract

jats:pNecropsies of Baltic grey (Halichoerus grypus) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida) presented a rare opportunity to study their acanthocephalan fauna. Both species hosted adults of three species of the genus Corynosoma Lühe, 1904, namely C. magdaleni Montreuil, 1958, C. semerme (Forsell, 1904) Lühe 1911 and C. strumosum (Rudolphi, 1802) Lühe 1904. A comparative morphological analysis of these three species of Corynosoma, combining both light and scanning electron microscopy, was performed for the first time. Sexual dimorphism in the size and shape of the trunk was observed in both C. magdaleni and C. semerme, but there was insufficient material to investigate this phenomenon in C. strumosum. Genital spines were not observed in any of the female acanthocephalans. Three possible explanations for the presence of genital spines in some females, but not others are (i) cryptic speciation, (ii) phenotypic variation and (iii) loss by extraction or shearing when the copulatory cap is released. Copulatory caps were observed on female C. semerme. The size and morphology showed considerable variability and all caps were strongly autofluoresecent.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

Baltic Sea, grey seals, ringed seals, SEM, thorny-headed worms

Journal Title

European Journal of Taxonomy

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2118-9773
2118-9773

Volume Title

2019

Publisher

Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle