Heptamegacanthus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Acanthocephala
Class: Archiacanthocephala
Order: Oligacanthorhynchida
Family: Oligacanthorhynchidae
Genus: Heptamegacanthus
Spencer-Jones, 1990
Species:
H. niekerki
Binomial name
Heptamegacanthus niekerki
Spencer-Jones, 1990

Heptamegacanthus is a monotypic genus of acanthocephalans (thorny-headed or spiny-headed parasitic worms). It contains a single species, Heptamegacanthus niekerki, parasite of the giant golden mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani) found in South-East Africa.[1]

Taxonomy

Description

Distribution

The distribution of H. niekerki is determined by that of its hosts. H. niekerki has been found in South-East Africa.[1]

Hosts

Diagram of the life cycle of Acanthocephala
Life cycle of Acanthocephala.[2][lower-alpha 1]

The life cycle of an acanthocephalan consists of three stages beginning when an infective acanthor (development of an egg) is released from the intestines of the definitive host and then ingested by an arthropod, the intermediate host. Although the intermediate hosts of Heptamegacanthus are not known, without exception for the order Oligacanthorhynchidae, this intermediate host is a lizard or insect. When the acanthor molts, the second stage called the acanthella begins. This stage involves penetrating the wall of the mesenteron or the intestine of the intermediate host and growing. The final stage is the infective cystacanth which is the larval or juvenile state of an Acanthocephalan, differing from the adult only in size and stage of sexual development. The cystacanths within the intermediate hosts are consumed by the definitive host, usually attaching to the walls of the intestines, and as adults they reproduce sexually in the intestines. The acanthor are passed in the feces of the definitive host and the cycle repeats. There are no known paratenic hosts (hosts where parasites infest but do not undergo larval development or sexual reproduction) for Heptamegacanthus.[4]

Heptamegacanthus niekerki has been found parasitizing the Giant golden mole.[1] There are no reported cases of H. niekerki infesting humans in the English language medical literature.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ There are no known aberrant human infections for H. niekerki species.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jones, Mary E. Spencer (1990). "Heptamegacanthus niekerki n. G., n. Sp. (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) from the south-east African insectivore Chrysospalax trevelyani (Günther, 1875)". Systematic Parasitology. 15 (2): 133–140. doi:10.1007/BF00009991. S2CID 23497546.
  2. ↑ CDC’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (11 April 2019). "Acanthocephaliasis". www.cdc.gov. Center for Disease Control. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 Mathison, BA; et al. (2021). "Human Acanthocephaliasis: a Thorn in the Side of Parasite Diagnostics". J Clin Microbiol. 59 (11): e02691-20. doi:10.1128/JCM.02691-20. PMC 8525584. PMID 34076470.
  4. ↑ Schmidt, G.D. (1985). "Development and life cycles". In Crompton, D.W.T.; Nickol, B.B. (eds.). Biology of the Acanthocephala (PDF). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. pp. 273–305. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
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