Abstract
Many rotifer species live in close association with plants or other animals. Most of these associations are of a commensal or synoecious nature, some rotifer species having lost the ability to live independently. Few rotifers are true parasites, actually harming their hosts.
The Seisonidae, Monogononta and Bdelloidea include epizoic and parasitic species. The most widely known are probably the parasites of colonial and filamentous algae (e.g. Volvox, Vaucheria). However, rotifers are also found on a wide range of invertebrates: colonial, sessile Protozoa; Porifera; Rotifera; Annelida; Bryozoa; Echinodermata; Mollusca, especially on the shells and egg masses of aquatic gastropods; Crustacea, including the lower forms (e.g. Daphnia, Asellus, Gammarus) and in the gill chambers of Astacus and Chasmagnathus; the aquatic larvae of insects. There appear to be few records of epizoic or parasitic rotifers among vertebrates, apart from Encentrum kozminskii on carp, Limnias ceratophylli on the Amazonian crocodile, Melanosuchus niger, and an unidentified Bdelloid apparently living as a pathogenic rotifer in Man.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahlstrom, E. H., 1940. A revision of the Rotatorian genera Brachionus and Platyias with descriptions of one new species and two new varieties. Bull. amer. Mus. nat. Hist. 77: 148–184.
Barnes, R. S. K., 1984. A Synoptic Classification of Living Organisms. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 273 pp.
Bartos, E., 1951. The Czechoslovak Rotifers of the order Bdelloidea. Vestnik. Cs. zool. spol. 15: 241–500.
Beauchamp, P. M. de, 1905. Remarques sur deux Rotifères parasites. Bull. Soc. zool. Fr. 30: 117–124.
Beauchamp, P. de, 1923. Courtes notes sur les Rotifères. Ann. Biol. lac. 12: 221–228.
Berzins, B., 1950. Observations on rotifers on sponges. Trans. am. microsc. Soc. 69: 189–193.
Bilfinger, L., 1894. Zur Rotatorian fauna Württembergs. 2. Beitrag. Jahresh. d. Verf. f. vaterländ. Naturk. Württembergs 50: 35–65.
Boray, J. C., 1964. Studies on the ecology of Lymnaea tomentosa, the intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica. I. History, geographical distribution and environment. Aust. J. Zool. 12: 217–230.
Brain, J. L., 1894. An inhabitant of Vaucheria. Science Gossip 1: 201–202.
Bryce, D., 1924. The Rotifera and Gastrotricha of Devil's and Stump Lakes, North Dakota, U.S.A. J. Quekett microsc. Club, Ser. 2, 15: 81–108.
Budde, E., 1925. Die parasitischen Rädertiere mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der in der umgegend von minden I.W. beobachteten Arten. Z. Morph. u. Ökol. Tiere 3: 706–785.
Carlin, B., 1939. Über die Rotatorien einiger Seen bei Aneboda. Medd. Lunds Univ. Limnol. Inst. 2: 3–68.
Chandra, M. P. & R. R. Kameswara, 1976. Epizoic rotifers observed on Odonata nymphs from Visakhapatnam. Science Cult. 42: 527–528.
Chengalath, R., C. H. Fernando & W. Koste, 1973. Rotifers from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). II. Further studies on the eurotatoria including new records. Bull. Fish. Res. Stat. Ceylon 24: 29–62.
Christensen, T., 1987. Some collections of Vaucheria (Tribophyceae) from south-eastern Australia. Aust. J. Bot. 35: 617–629.
Claparède, M., 1868. A new rotifer Balatro calvus. Quart. J. Microsc. Science 8: 170–172.
Cuènot, L., 1892. Commensaux et parasites des Echinodermes. Revue Biol. Nord-France, 5.
Coineau, Y. & M. Kunst, 1964. Une nouvelle espèce de rotifère parasite d'oligochète: Albertia soyeri n.sp. Vie Milieu 15: 1007–1015.
Davis, J. S. & W. F. Gworek, 1973. A rotifer parasitizing Vaucheria in a Florida spring. Trans. am. microsc. Soc. 92: 135–140.
Dujardin, F., 1838. Mémoire sur un ver parasite constituant un nouveau genre voisin des rotifères, sur le tardigrade, et sur les systolides on rotateurs en général. Ann. sci. natur., ser. 2, 10, Zool.: 175–191.
Edmondson, W. T., 1940. Sessile Rotatoria of Wisconsin. Trans. amer. Microsc. Soc. 59: 433–559.
Edmondson, W. T. & G. E. Hutchinson, 1934. Report on Rotatoria Yale North India Expedition. Art. IX. Mem. Connecticut Acad. Arts. Sci. 10: 153–186.
Galliford, A. L., 1946. A contribution to the Rotifer fauna of the Liverpool Area. Proc. Liverpool. Natur. Field Club 1945.
Ganf, G. G., R. J. Shiel & C. J. Merrick, 1983. Parasitism: The possible cause of the collapse of a Volvox population in Mount Bold Reservoirs, South Australia. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 34: 489–494.
Garner, W. E., 1937. Two new species of Rotatoria. J. Quekett Microsc. Club, Series 3, 1.
Giard, A., 1908. Un nouveau rotifère, parasite des pontes de mollusques d'eau dance. Feuiles des jeunes naturalistes 38: 184.
Giesen, J., 1934. An apparent case of a pathogenic rotifer (Order Bdelloidea) in man. J. Parasitol. 20: 133.
Giglioli, H., 1863. On the genus Callidina (Ehr.); with the description and anatomy of a new species. Quart. J. Micr. Science London, New Ser., Vol. 3: 237–242.
Glascott, L. S., 1893. A list of some of the Rotifera of Ireland. Sciproc. Roy. Dublin Soc. B: 29–86.
Gosse, P. H., 1852. On the Notommata parasita Ehrbg., a rotiferous animal inhabiting the spheres of Volvox globator. Trans. microsc. Soc. London 3:
Halbach, U., 1973. Quantitative studies of rotifer associations in ponds. Arch. Hydrobiol. 71: 233–254.
Harring, H. K., 1913. Synopsis of the Rotatoria. Bull., U.S. Nat. Mus., Washington, 81: 7–226.
Harring, H. K. & F. J. Myers, 1922. The rotifer Fauna of Wisconsin. Trans. Wis. Acad. Sci. Arts Lett. 20: 553–662.
Hassan, A. A., A. M. S. El-Ridi & L. A. A. Magd, 1985. An approach to biological control of snails by rotifers. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol. 15: 553–558.
Hempel, A., 1896. Description of new species of Rotifers and Protozoa from the Illinois River and adjacent waters. Bull. Illinois State Lab. Nat. Hist. 4: 310–317.
Hlava, S., 1905. Über eine neue Rädertierart aus der Gattung Albertia. Zool. Anz. 28: 365–368.
Hofsten, von N.,1909. Rotatorien aus den Mästermyr (Gottland) und einigen andern Schwedischen Binnengewässern. Ark. Zool. 6, 125 pp.
Hollowday, E. D., 1949. Introduction to the study of the Rotifera—IX Proales daphnicola Thompson: with reference to commensal and parasitic habits. The Microscope 6: 1–7.
Hood, J., 1895. On the Rotifera of the County Mayo. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., ser. 3: 664–706.
Hudson, C. T. & P. H. Gosse, 1886. The Rotifera or Wheel-Animalcules, both British and Foreign. Longmans, London. I: I–VI & 1–128; 11: 1–144.
Jennings, H. S., 1894. A list of the Rotatoria of the Great Lakes and some of the inland lakes of Michigan. Bull. Michigan Fish. Comm., Landsing 3: 1–34.
Koste, W., 1968. Über Proales sigmoidea (Skorikow) 1896 (eine für Mitteleuropa neue Rotatorienart) und Proales daphnicola (Thompson) 1892. Arch. Hydrobiol. 65: 240–245.
Koste, W., 1969. Parasitic Rotifera-Albertia naidis. Mikrokosmos 58: 212–216.
Koste, W., 1970. Über eine parasitische Rotatorienart Albertia reichelti nov. spec. Zool. Anz. 184: 428–434.
Koste, W., 1972. Portrait of Rotifera a rare external parasite on freshwater Oligochaeta Cephalodella parasitica. Mikrokosmos 61: 10–12.
Koste, W., 1975. Seison annulatus, ein Ektoparasit des marinen Krebses Nebalia. Mikrokosmos 64: 341–347.
Koste, W., 1978. Rotatoria. Borntraeger, Berlin, 2 vol.: 673 pp., 234 plates.
Kutikova, L. A., 1970. Rädertierfauna der USSR. Fauna USSR, 104, Akad. Nauk. SSSR, Leningrad: 1–744 (In Russian).
Lankester, E. R., 1868. Note on the Synapte of Guernsey and a new parasitic rotifer. Quart. J. microsc. science 8: 53–55.
Levander, K. M., 1894. Materialien zur Kenntnis der Wasserfauna in der Umgebung von Helsingfors. Acta. soc. fauna et flora fennica. Helsingfors 12: 1–72.
Lister, 1884. On the parasitism of rotifers in cysts on Vaucheria. Proc. Essex Nat. Field Club 3: 45–48.
Magnusson, W. E., 1985. Habitat selection parasites and injuries in Amazonian Crocodilians. Amazoniana 9: 193–204.
Mané-Garzon, F. & R. Montero, 1973. A new species of Rotifers Bdelloidea Anomopus chasmagnathi (n.sp.) from the branchial chamber of the tidal crab Chasmagnathus granulata Decapoda Brachyura. Rev. Biol. Urug. 1: 139–144.
Milne, E. 1888. Rotifer as a parasite or tube dweller. Proc. Phil. Soc. Glasgow 20: 48–53.
Murray, J., 1906. The Rotifera of Scottish Lochs. Trans. r. Soc. Edinb. 45: 151–193.
Myers, F. J., 1934. The distribution of Rotifers on Mount Desert Island. VII. Amer. Mus. Mov. 761: 1–8.
Nekrassow, A. D., 1928. Vergleichende morphologie der Laiche von süsswasser gastropoden. Z. Morph. Okol. Tiere 12: 1–35.
Ott, D. W., 1977. Ultrastructural observations of parasitism of Vaucheria prona by Poales werneckii. J. Phycol. 13 (suppl.).
Pawlowski, L. K., 1935. Beiträge zur Anatomie und Biologie von Drilophaga delagei de Beauchamp. Arch. Hydrobiol. Rybactwa, Suwalki 9: 1–30.
Penard, E., 1914. A propos de Rotifères. Rev. Suisse 22: 1–25.
Piovanelli, S., 1903. Two new Bdelloidea commensal in the branchial cavity of Telphusa fluviatilis. J. Quekett Microsc. Club 8: 521–522.
Pittock, G. M., 1894. Rotifer-hunting in Minster Marshes, Thanet. Science Gossip 1: 173–175.
Plate, L. H., 1886. Untersuchungen einiger an der Kiemenblättern des Gammarus pulex lebenden Ektoparasiten. Z. wiss. Zool. 43: 175–241.
Plate, L. H., 1888. On some ectoparasitic Rotatoria of the Bay of Naples. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., London, ser. 6, 2: 86–112.
Rees, B., 1960. Albertia vermisculus (Rotifer) parasitic in the earthworm Allolobophora caliginosa. Parasitol. 50: 61–65.
Rich, F. & M. A. Pocock 1933. Observations on the genus Volvox in Africa. Ann. s. afr. Mus. 16: 427–471.
Rousselet, C. F., 1898. Notes on some little-known species of Pterodina. J. Quekett microsc. Club, Ser. 2, 7: 24–30.
Rousselet, C. F., 1911. Rotifera (excluding Bdelloidea). Proc. Royal Irish Acad. 31, No. 51, 10 pp.
Rousselet, C. F., 1914. Intelligence in parasitic rotifers. Knowledge 37: 191, 270–273.
Sauer, F., 1978. A rotifera as parasite in Volvox. Mikrokosmos 67: 110–111.
Scherren, H., 1897. Rotifers commensal with Caddis worms. Nature 56: 224.
Schlüter, M., 1984. Kontinuierliche Massenkultur des planktischen Rotators Brachionus rubens. Ber. Kernforschungsanlage Julich 1959, 195 pp.
Sebestyen, O., 1937. Investigations on an epizoic Collotheca (Rotifera). Ann. Inst. biol. Tihany 24: 183–192.
Sharma, B. K., 1979. On some epizoic rotifers from West Bengal. Bull. zool. Surv. India 2: 109–110.
Stevens, J., 1907. The Rotifera of the Exeter district. Proc. Coll. Field Club and Nat. Hist. Soc., Exeter, 1907: 30–52.
Stevens, J., 1912. Notes on Proales (Notommata) gigantea Glascott, a rotifer parasitic in the egg of the water-snail. J. Quekett. microsc. Club, Ser. 2, 11: 481–486.
Stirewalt, M. & F. A. Lewis, 1980. Schistosoma mansoni: Effects of rotifers on cercarial output, mortality and infectivity. Int. J. Parasitol., 11: 301–303.
Thane-Fenchel, A., 1966. Proales paguri sp. nov., a rotifer living on the gills of the hermit crab, Pagurus bernhardus. Ophelia 3: 93–97.
Thompson, P. G., 1892. Notes on the parasitic tendency of rotifers of the genus Proales, with an account of a new species. Science Gossip 28: 219–221.
Varga, L., 1931. Beiträge zur Rotatorienfauna Südschwed-ens. Zool. Anz. 96: 285–292.
Vejdovsky, F., 1883. Über Drilophaga bucephalus, ein parasitisches Rädertier Sitz. — Ber. K. Böhm. Ges. Wiss. Prag. (1882): 390–397.
Viaud, G., 1947. Recherches expérimentales sur les tropismes des Rotifères. L'oscillorhéotropisme des Brachionus rubens Ehrenberg, cause de la fixation de ce Rotifère phorétique sur les Daphnies et autres crustacés d'eau douce. Ann. Sci. nat. Zool. 9: 39–62.
Williams, J., 1852. On the occurrence of parasitic Rotifera in Volvox globator. Trans. microsc. Soc. London, 3: 129–131.
Wiszniewski, J., 1946. Sur un rotifère, parasite des carpes. Zool. pol. 4: 7–10.
Wollny, R., 1879. Parasitism of Notommata on Vaucheria. J. r. microsc. Soc. 2: 291.
Wulfert, K., 1957. Ein neues Rädertiere aus der Kiemenhöhle von Cambarus affinis. Zool. Anz. 158: 26–30.
Wulfert, K., 1960. Die Rädertiere Saurer Gewässer der Dubener Heide. II Die Rotatorien des Krebsscherentümpels Bei Winkelmühle. Arch. Hydrobiol. 56: 311–333.
Zelinka, C., 1888. Studien über Rädertiere. II. Raumparasitismus und Anatomie von Discopus synaptae. Z. f. wiss. Zool. 47.