Studies on tapeworm physiology

Abstract

The plerocercoid larvae of the pseudophyllidean cestode Ligula intestinalie have been removed from the body-cavity of the roach, Rutilua rutilus, and cultured in vitro under aseptic conditions, using a technique similar to that successfully applied to Schistocephalus solidus.In the larval condition, the genitalia are in a primitive, immature condition, with the testes, ovaries and yolk-glands only partially developed.Larvae were cultured in peptone-broth in plugged tubes at a temperature of 40° C, i.e. the body temperature of birds in which the plerocercoids normally develop into adult worms.Three of the nine larvae used became sexually mature after 7 days' cultivation, and oviposition took place. Copulation between successive genitalia of the same worm or with genitalia of another worm in the same culture tube was not observed.Histological examination revealed that spermatogenesis, oogenesis, vitellogenesis and shell formation had apparently taken place in a normal manner. The testes contained giant polyploid cells as well as mature spermatozoa. The receptaculum seminis contained no spermatozoa, from which it was concluded that fertilization had not taken place. This was confirmed by the fact that attempts to hatch out the eggs were unsuccessful. The unfertilized eggs, however, underwent parthenogenic development within the uterus as far as the two-cell stage. Of the remaining six larvae, four developed sufficiently to undergo eversion of the cirrus, but died without oviposition taking place.