Development and morphology of the scolex and mode of attachment of Wenyonia virilis Woodland, 1923, a caryophyllaeid cestode from the silurid Nile fish Synodontis schall (Bloch et Schneider, 1801), were studied by means of light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Scolex and genital primordia changes through four stages of juvenile development are described. Longitudinal ridges do not appear on the scolex until the cestode has well defined genital primordia. This is in stark contrast to other caryophyllidean genera in which the basic morphology of the adult scolex becomes evident at the procercoid stage in the oligochaete intermediate host. The scolex of the adult has 13 to 19 prominent longitudinal ridges and deep furrows that come together at the apex to form an apical ring, a protrusible terminal introvert within the apical ring that forms a deep apical pouch when fully retracted, and a central group of Faserzellen. The scolex of W. virilis appears similar to the rugomonobothriate scolex of another African caryophyllid, Monobothrioides chalmersius (Woodland, 1924). Comparisons are made with other caryophyllideans having a scolex with a terminal structure: Monobothrium Diesing, 1863, Djombangia Bovien, 1926 and Caryoaustralus Mackiewicz et Blair, 1980. The terminal introvert may be responsible for attachment in early juvenile stages, but may be supplemented by the longitudinal ridges and furrows later in development. Host tissue appears to be drawn into these furrows that function as weak organs of attachment. We could not determine how the introvert of adult worms functions in attachment. At the site of attachment, the mucosa showed necrosis and degeneration and the submucosa exhibited vacuolization and infiltration with lymphocytes and leucocytes.
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