The Biology and Life History of Monoecocestus Beddard, 1914 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) from the Porcupine

Abstract

M. americanus and M. variabilis from the Canada porcupine utilize oribatid mites as intermediate hosts. Fully formed cysticercoids of M. americanus were grown in the laboratory in Adoristes poppei, Belba sp., Ceratoppia bipilis spinipes Damaeus globifer, Eremaeus brevitarsus Fuscozetes spp., Galumna emarginata G. nigra, Liacarus itascensis, Neoribates quadrisetosus, and Scheloribates lanceoliger. Cysticercoids of M. variabilis were experimentally produced in Ceratoppia bipilis spinipes, Galumna nigra, Liacarus itascensis. and Neoribates quadrisetosus: an incompletely developed larval M. variabilis was recovered from a Cepheus corae. Natural infections with cysticercoids of Monoecocestus sp. were recovered from Adoristes poppei, Balzania microptera, Eremaeus brevitarsus Fuscozetes spp.. Liacarus itascensis, Scheloribates lanceoliger. and Zygoribatula curviseta. The mites were maintained in the laboratory in tightly stoppered vials or bottles with a little leaf-litter and sufficient moisture to produce a saturated humidity. A detailed study of the morph. of the developing cysticercoid is given; there are no morph. differences between the cysticercoids of the 2 spp. The morph. and development is in general agreement with that previously established by other workers for other anoplocephaline cestodes. The life cycle was completed by feeding experimentally produced cysticercoids to 2 young porcupines reared in the laboratory; attempts to infect rabbits, hamsters, chicks and a white rat were unsuccessful.