1. Polystoma integerrimum
Characteristics
Normal
Life Cycle
Neotenic
Created and Presented by: Lindsey Petrovich
Amanda Reinesch

2. Polystoma integerrimum CHARACTERISTICS
NAME: Polystoma integerriumum
No common name
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Old World
mainly Europe
HABITAT: lives in bladders of common Old World frogs

3. Polystoma integerrimum CHARACTERISTICS
HUMANS: no known importance to people
DIET: eat blood
LENGTH: Adult worms are 10 millimeters

4. Polystoma integerriumum CHARACTERISTICS
REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE - synchronized with host’s hormones
Providing a supply of hosts to hatching oncomiracidia
Oncomiracidia – larvae of Monogenea
Monogenea – ectoparasites of skin/gills of fish, amphibians, reptiles
TWO ADULT STAGES – Normal and Neotenic
Neotenic - The achievement of sexual maturity by an organism still in its larval stage

5. Polystoma integerrimum CHARACTERISTICS
MOST ACTIVE – Spring
when frogs are active
DORMANT – Winter
when frogs are hibernating

6. Polystoma integerrimum FIGURE 19.15

7. Polystoma integerrimum LIFE CYCLE

8. Polystoma integerriumum LIFE CYCLE
PHASE 1 – When frogs’ gonads begin to swell and produce gametes, worms become sexually active and produce eggs that are released into the urine
STEP 2 – Eggs are voided into water in frogs’ spawning area
STEP 3 – Oncomiracidia hatch in days depending on temperature of the water
STEP 4 – In the days the frogs’ eggs have developed into tadpoles (these tadpoles are the next host generation)
STEP 5 – Oncomiracidia attach to the tadpoles’ gills during ventilation
STEP 6 – Metamorphoses occurs and eggs are produced in days

9. Polystoma integerrimum GILL FORM (Neotenic)
More narrow body
Opisthaptor is not set off from the body
Intestine has fewer lateral branches
Ovary is different shape
No uterus or genitointestinal canal

10. Polystoma integerriumum GILL FORM – LIFE CYCLE
STEP 1 – Eggs of Polystoma integerrimum hatch in days when the water is warm
STEP 2 – The larvae then attach to tadpole gills
STEP 3 – Metamorphoses begins
STEP 4 – The larvae migrate to the bladder of the tadpole
This process occurs over the ventral skin of the tadpole and only takes about a minute
STEP 5 – Once in the bladder, the worms develop slowly
This maturation process takes about four to five years
STEP 6 - Eggs are produced

11. References and Citations
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