Ligula intestinalis explained

Ligula intestinalis is a tapeworm of fish, fish-eating birds and copepods, with species from each group featuring in its complex life cycle.^[1] Ligula intestinalis is a parasite that changes its intermediate host's behavior to become more vulnerable to its predators. In this case, Ligula intestinalis uses copepods and cyprinid fish as their intermediate host and develops inside of them to get to its final destination which is fish-eating birds. ^[2] Plerocercoids, Ligula intestinalis larva, influence secondary intermediate hosts’ behavior, health, and fecundity.^[3] Additionally, Ligula intestinalis can cause fish-eating birds' gonads to remain undeveloped.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Achim Trubiroha . Sabrina N. Frank . Sven Wuertz . Hana Kroupova . Bernd Sures . Werner Kloas . Effects of the tapeworm Ligula intestinalis on biomarkers of endocrine disruption (ED) in roach (Cyprinidae, Rutilus rutilus) . Cefic Long-range Research Initiative .
2. Gabagambi, N. P., A.-G. V. Salvanes, F. Midtøy, and A. Skorping. 2018. The tapeworm Ligula intestinalis alters the behavior of the fish intermediate host Engraulicypris sardella, but only after it has become infective to the final host. Behavioural Processes. Elsevier. 158:47-52
3. Bouzid, W., Štefka, J., Hypša, V., Lek, S., Scholz, T., Legal, L., Hassine, O., & Loot, G. (2008). Geography and host specificity: Two forces behind the genetic structure of the freshwater fish parasite Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae). International Journal for Parasitology, 38(12), 1465–1479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2008.03.008
4. Trubiroha, A., Kroupova, H., Wuertz, S., Frank, S., Sures, B., & Kloas, W. (2009). Naturally-induced endocrine disruption by the parasite Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda) in roach (Rutilus rutilus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 166(2), 234–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.08.010