New data on the early development of Hysterothylacium aduncum (Nematoda, Anisakidae).

This note reports on incidental observations of the early development of the third-stage larvae of Hysterothylacium aduncum from gadid fishes. Gravid H. aduncum females were collected from Pollachius virens, Pollachius pollachius. Gadus morhua, and Molva molva in Norwegian waters. The eggs were incubated at 20 per thousand salinity and 5 C. Spontaneous hatching of third-stage larvae was observed 10-25 days after egg deposition. These larvae were long lived and could infect Acartia tonsa copepods, the infections being maintained for up to 34 days. The morphology of the third-stage larvae in the copepods and some traits of the life cycle were similar to those reported in previous studies. How…