STUDIES ON THE BIOLOGY OF THE EARLY LARVAL STAGES OF ANGUILLICOLA-CRASSUS (DRACUNCULOIDEA, NEMATODA) - SPECIFICITY OF THE INTERMEDIATE HOST AND EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON RATE OF DEVELOPMENT

Infection of various Arthropods was attempted with eggs and larvae of Anguillicola crassus, a nematode parasite of the swimbladder of eels. Development up to the third larval stage was obtained only in Cyclopid Copepods and in Cypria ophthalmica (Ostracoda). Development was followed in Cyclopidae at 4 different temperatures: third-stage larvae first appeared on day 6 at 28-degrees-C, on day 9 at 21-degrees-C, and on day 31 at 12-14-degrees-C. No development occurred at 4-6-degrees-C when observation was discontinued 91 days post infection.