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Abstract
In a study of the spirurids harbored by cockroaches in the central market in San José, Costa Rica, 3,655 individuals of six species were captured: Periplaneta americana, P. brunnea, P. australasiae, Leucophaea maderae, Blattella germanica and Eurycotis biolleyi. Sixty adults of each species were dissected; spirurids were found only in L. maderae, P. americana and P. brunnea. L. maderae had the highest percentage of positivity (41.7%), with a mean number of 50 capsules per host. Fifty additional nymphs of this species were dissected, showing a rate of 42% positive, with a mean of 34.6 capsules per host. P. americana was found to be an intermediate host of spirurids and P. brunnea was recorded for the first time as a natural host.
Experimental inoculation of L. maderae with eggs from gravid Mastophorus muris females yielded negative results, suggesting that other species are the natural host for this spirurid. On the other hand, Protospirura muricola eggs in this cockroach produced capsules containing infective larvae.
Eggs of M. muris and P. muricola failed to infect A. tessellata due apparently to mechanical or biological factors acting against the development of the spirurids in this cockroach.
References
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Copyright (c) 1977 Revista de Biología Tropical