Creature 344: Euhaplorchis californiensis

Another mind altering parasite

Euhaplorchis californiensis is a flatworm parasite which has three different hosts.

These flatworms parasitise horn snails then killfish than shorebirds. No individual will see all three hosts in their lifetime, but the hosts all form separate parts of a reproductive cycle.

The horn snail picks up the infection from the droppings of infected shorebirds. Infected snails suffer a severe reduction in their fertility.  The parasites will multiply inside the snail for a few generations until they morph into a more mobile form. At this point they swim out into the marshes and find a killfish host.

They enter the body through the gills and invade the central nervous system of the killfish. They alter the brain chemistry and cause the killfish to behave erratically,  resulting in an infected fish being 30 times more likely to be preyed upon by a shorebird.

They infect the shorebirds gut, releasing the eggs into the feaces, and the cycle continues.

Distribution:
Euhaplorchis californiensis is found in saltwater marshes in Southern California.

Classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Trematoda
Order: Opisthorchiida
Family: Heterophyidae
Genus:Euhaplorchis
Species: Euhaplorchis californiensis

Image Links:

http://telegraf.com.ua/zhizn/zdorove/558633-parazityi-sposobnyie-upravlyat-povedeniem-svoih-hozyaev-fotogalereya.html

Creature 221: Leucochloridium paradoxum

A parasite which puts on a show

Description:
Leucochloridium paradoxum is a parasitic flatworm which uses snails as a intermediate host and birds as the definitive host.

These flatworms usually infect snails as juveniles via bird droppings. Once inside a snail they begin to mature in the digestive system. When they are nearly ready to reach adulthood the worm will move to the snails antenna, preferably the left antenna.  It then reduces the light sensitivity in the snail so it spends More time out in the open making it easier prey for a bird.

But it doesn't stop there. The flatworm changes the colour of the antenna to something more like a tasty caterpillar so the birs will be more attracted to them. They also cause the antenna to pulsate and change color so they are more noticable to birds. Watch it happen here:

Their ultimate objective is to cause the snail to get eaten so they can reach adulthood and reproduce in their definitive host.

Distribution:

Leucochloridium paradoxum is found in Northern and Central Europe.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Trematoda
Order: Strigeidida
Family: Leucochloridiidae
Genus: Leucochloridium
Species: Leucochloridium paradoxum

Image Links:

http://parasitophilia.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/leucochloridium-paradoxum.html

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWB_COSUXMw