Cyathocephalus truncatus (Cestoda: Spathebothridea) in its intermediate host Echinogammarus stammeri (Amphipoda) from the River Brenta, northern Italy

A study was carried out on the occurrence of the tapeworm Cyathocephalus truncatus (Pallas, 1781) (Cestoda: Spathebothridea) in its intermediate host, the amphipod Echinogammarus stammeri, in the River Brenta. A total of 18,860 E. stammeri was examined from July 1990 to June 1994; only 25 of them (prevalence 0.13%) were infected with tapeworm larvae (intensity of infection 1 larva/host). Co-occurrence of C. truncatus larvae with the larva of the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis (Müller, 1776) was recorded in 15 amphipods. Tapeworms were localized in the anterior portion of each amphipod's hemocoel, in intimate contact with E. stammeri internal organs such as the alimentary canal, and frequently induced its displacement. No differences in integumental pigmentation were noticed between infected and non-infected amphipods, and some infected E. stammeri females were ovigerous.