| Popis: |
Publisher Summary This chapter presents the different aspects of the pentastomida. The highly aberrant pentastomida have traditionally been considered a highly evolved, totally parasitic group of animals with remote arthropod or annelid affinities. Pentastomida live as adults in the respiratory systems of mammals, birds, and reptiles, primarily in the latter. The porocephalida generally employ mammals as secondary hosts, while the cephalobaenida are more variable, there being evidence that some may have a direct life cycle. Studies of the tissues surrounding Kiricephalus, in snake tissues show no inflammatory reaction, or tissue proliferation on the part of the host, thus indicating a remarkable adaptation between host, and parasites. This is also shown to be true between these pentastomida, and also other porocephalida, and secondary mammalian hosts. The parasites can occupy sites—in organs such as the liver, pancreas, and lymph nodes, and the mesenteries without provoking any inflammation, or tissue hypertrophy. This suggests a long association between the parasites and their hosts. |
