Attachment and detachment of the anterior adhesive pads of the monogenean (platyhelminth) parasite Entobdella soleae from the skin of the common sole (Solea solea)

Mechanism of adhesion and detachment at the anterior end of Merizocotyle icopae (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) including ultrastructure of the anterior adhesive matrix

“…The adhesive mechanism of only one other monogenean species has been investigated in detail : Kearn & Evans-Gowing (1998) studied the capsalid monogenean, Entobdella soleae (see Table 1 for summary of secretory bodies). Its anterior attachment mechanism differs from that reported here for M. icopae in a number of respects.…”

“…Temporary adhesion in this group is referred to as tissue adhesion because it involves attachment to the epithelium of a living host, but attachment may also be induced on artificial surfaces such as glass (Whittington & Cribb, 2001). Although considerable differences in the morphology of the anterior adhesive region and secretions have been found across monopisthocotylean Monogenea (see Whittington & Cribb, 2001), the mechanism of attachment has only been addressed in detail for one species, the capsalid Entobdella soleae (see Kearn & Evans-Gowing, 1998). Morphology of the secretions in this species differs from the arrangement in other monogeneans since there is no electron-dense spheroidal secretion paired with rod-shaped bodies (see Whittington & Cribb, 2001) and, therefore, it is unwise to extrapolate this arrangement to other species.…”

“…Furthermore, a number of questions remain unanswered after the study on E. soleae. Detachment in E. soleae is still not fully understood (Kearn & Evans-Gowing, 1998). Also, the mechanism within the gel-like adhesive that achieves adhesion is not yet appreciated.…”

Surface Topography of the Anterior Adhesive Apparatus of the Gill Monogenean Parasite Diplectanum sp. diesing, 1858, with some Surface Criteria

“…Demonstrations said that the capsalid Entobdella soleae has two ventral adhesive pads, one on each side of the head region. Each of these pads is subdivided into three areas [6]. In the monocotylid monogeneans Empruthotrema raiae and E. torpedinis, which inhabit the nasal fossae of their elasmobranch hosts, the gland ducts open into three eversible adhesive sacs on each side of the head region [10].…”

“…This adhesive enables instant attachment and detachment of the anterior region. Preliminary chemical characterization of adhesive has been achieved for a variety of monogenean parasites [4,5] and the adhesive mechanism has been studied for the adults of two species from different families: the capsalid Entobdella soleae [6] the monocotylid Merizocotyleicopae [7].…”