| Pomphorhynchus laevis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Acanthocephala |
| Class: | Palaeacanthocephala |
| Order: | Echinorhynchida |
| Family: | Pomphorhynchidae |
| Genus: | Pomphorhynchus |
| Species: | P. laevis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pomphorhynchus laevis Müller, 1776
| |
Pomphorhynchus laevis is an endo-parasitic acanthocephalan worm, with a complex life cycle, that can modify the behaviour of its intermediate host, the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex.[1] P. laevis does not contain a digestive tract and relies on the nutrients provided by its host species. In the fish host this can lead to the accumulation of lead in P. laevis by feeding on the bile of the host species.[2]
- ^ Bakker, Theo C. M.; Mazzi, Dominique; Zala, Sarah (1997). "Parasite-induced changes in behavior and color make Gammarus pulex more prone to fish predation". Ecology. 78 (4): 1098–1104. doi:10.2307/2265861. JSTOR 2265861.
- ^ Sures, B.; Thielen, F.; Baska, F.; Messerschmidt, J.; von Bohlen, A. (2005). "The intestinal parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis as a sensitive accumulation indicator for the platinum group metals Pt, Pd, and Rh". Environmental Research. 98 (1): 83–88. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2004.05.010. PMID 15721887.