A Study on the Surface Microtriches of Dollfusiella spinulifera (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) in the Persian Gulf

The aim of this study was the survey of the surface microtriches of Dollfusiella spinulifera reported for the first time from the Persian Gulf. After isolating cestodes from five specimens of Himantura sp., first, the worms were stained for identification, of which, the best specimens were selected, unmounted in Xylene and after destaining finally dried in hexamethyldisilazane and examined with scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that except for the apex and distal bothrial surface, which are covered with papilliform filitriches and acicular filitriches, respectively, other surfaces were adorned with palmate spinitriches and filitriches (papilliform filitriches or acicular filitriches). In addition, the pattern of the surface microtriches was compared between Iranian population of this species from the Persian Gulf and the Australian specimens. The comparison revealed the difference in the microthrix pattern of these two conspecific allopatric populations.