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dc.contributor.authorSoldánová, Miroslava
dc.contributor.authorKundid, Petra
dc.contributor.authorScholz, Tomas
dc.contributor.authorKristoffersen, Roar
dc.contributor.authorKnudsen, Rune
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-15T11:44:57Z
dc.date.available2022-08-15T11:44:57Z
dc.date.issued2022-02-24
dc.description.abstractPhenotypic polymorphism is a commonly observed phenomenon in nature, but extremely rare in free-living stages of parasites. We describe a unique case of somatic polymorphism in conspecific cercariae of the bird schistosome Trichobilharzia sp. “peregra”, in which two morphs, conspicuously different in their size, were released from a single Radix balthica snail. A detailed morphometric analysis that included multiple morphological parameters taken from 105 live and formalin-fixed cercariae isolated from several naturally infected snails provided reliable evidence for a division of all cercariae into two size groups that contained either large or small individuals. Large morph (total body length of 1368 and 1339 µm for live and formalin-fixed samples, respectively) differed significantly nearly in all morphological characteristics compared to small cercariae (total body length of 976 and 898 µm for live and formalin samples, respectively), regardless of the fixation method. Furthermore, we observed that small individuals represent the normal/commonly occurring phenotype in snail populations. The probable causes and consequences of generating an alternative, much larger phenotype in the parasite infrapopulation are discussed in the context of transmission ecology as possible benefits and disadvantages facilitating or preventing the successful completion of the life cycle.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSoldánová M, Kundid, Scholz T, Kristoffersen R, Knudsen R. Somatic Dimorphism in Cercariae of a Bird Schistosome. Pathogens. 2022;11(3)en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 2006286
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/pathogens11030290
dc.identifier.issn2076-0817
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/26173
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMDPIen_US
dc.relation.journalPathogens
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2022 The Author(s)en_US
dc.titleSomatic Dimorphism in Cercariae of a Bird Schistosomeen_US
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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