Parasitology & Infectious Diseases

Unique and unusual features in the many species of Acanthocephalans described and/or studied by Amin from fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, in various parts of the world including South America, Vietnam, Japan, the United States, the Middle East and North and East Africa are described. The presentation is in five parts.

1. An introductory section dealing with the classification, general morphology, ecology and life cycles of the Acanthocephala.

2. Unusual anatomical features of taxonomic or of questionable taxonomic importance addressing variations in the proboscis, proboscis hooks, male and female reproductive organs and lemnisci. Newly described structures including (a) Para-Receptacle Structure (PRS) and hoods in certain species as well as a new order of Acanthocephala from Vietnamese birds, are also featured.

3. Structural and functional relationships explaining the relationship between the metamorphosis of the giant nuclei in Eoacanthocephala and worm reproductive cycle.

4. Host-parasite relationships elucidating the relationships between worm anatomy and biology during worm growth.

5. Curiosities in reviews and revisions highlighting taxonomically based zoo-geographical patterns and trends in the genera Neoechinorhynchus, Polymorphus and Pallisentis. A comprehensive treatment of the Acanthocephalans of South America and those marine forms off the Eastern United States is also included here. A look at the September 2013 classification scheme of the Acanthocephala is included covering 4 classes, 26 families, 157 genera, and 1298 species are included.