Leucochloridium variae

Taxobox
name = "Leucochloridium variae"


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Platyhelminthes
classis = Trematoda
ordo = Strigeidida
familia = Leucochloridiidae
genus = "Leucochloridium"
species = "L. variae"
binomial = "Leucochloridium variae"
binomial_authority = McIntosh, 1932

Leucochloridium variae is a parasite that invades snails and makes their eye stalks swollen, pulsating and colourful. This maggot-resembling feature attracts birds. The bird rips off the eye stalk and eats it and the parasites egg is later dropped with the bird's feces. Similar life-histories are found in most species in the genus including "Leucochloridium paradoxum".

The snail will regenerate a new eye stalk which also becomes infected by the parasite.

References

Bakke, Tor A. (1982) The Morphology and Taxonomy of "Leucochloridium (L.) variae" Mclntosh (Digenea, Leucochloridiidae) from the Nearctic as Revealed by Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Zoologica Scripta 11(2):87–100 doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.1982.tb00521.x

External links

* Paul D. Lewis, Jr. - [http://www.jstor.org/pss/3278459 Helminths of Terrestrial Molluscs in Nebraska. II. Life Cycle of "Leucochloridium variae" McIntosh, 1932 (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae)] . - The Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 60, No. 2 (Apr., 1974), pp. 251-255
* [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/hammond/2007/10/06/a-parasite-for-sore-eyes-89520-19905781/ A parasite for sore eyes] - Article in the Daily Mirror
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWB_COSUXMw Video on You Tube]