Ephemerality and reproductive senescence in avian filarioids

Adult Eulimdana spp (Nemotoda, Filarioidea) of shorebirds (Charodrii formes) produce long-lived, skin-inhabiting microfilariae and then die and are resorbed. The host is thereafter refractory to infection. Pelecitus fulicaeatrae of coots (Fulica americana) also produces long lived, skin-inhabitingmicro filariae, but adult worms become reproductively senescent. Ephemerality of adults in Eulimdana spp and reproductive senescence in P. fulicaeatrae ensure that the skin will not become saturated with microfilariae, large numbers of which would probably be harmful to mallophogan vectors that remain on the host and are continually exposed to micro filariae while feeding. Here Roy C. Anderson and Cheryl M. Bartlett discuss the significance of ephemerality and senescence in the life histories o f avian f filarioids transmitted by permanent ectoparasites.