Filisoma


Filisoma is a genus in Acanthocephala.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Van Cleave in 1928. The National Center for Biotechnology Information indicates phylogenetic analysis has been published on any Filisoma species.

Description

Filisoma species consist of a proboscis covered in hooks and a trunk.

Species

The genus Filisoma Van Cleave, 1928 contains species.Filisoma acanthocybii Wang, Wang & Wu, 1993Filisoma argusum Kaur, Shamal, Chandran, Sharma & Sanil, 2021Filisoma atropi Wang and Wang, 1988 Filisoma bucerium] Van Cleave, 1940Filisoma caudatum Costa Fernandes, Amin, Borges & Santos, 2019Filisoma fidum Van Cleve & Manter, 1947Filisoma filiformis Weaver & Smales, 2013 Filisoma indicum Van Cleave, 1928Filisoma inglisi Gupta & Naqvi, 1986Filisoma longcementglandatus Amin & Nahhas, 1994Filisoma microcanthi Harada, 1938Filisoma oplegnathi Wang & Wang, 1988Filisoma rizalinum Tubangui & Masiluñgan, 1946 Filisoma scatophagusi Datta & Soota, 1962

Distribution

The distribution of Filisoma is determined by that of its hosts.

Hosts

The life cycle of an acanthocephalan consists of three stages beginning when an infective acanthor is released from the intestines of the definitive host and then ingested by an arthropod, the intermediate host. Although the intermediate hosts of Filisoma are arthropods. When the acanthor molts, the second stage called the acanthella begins. This stage involves penetrating the wall of the mesenteron or the intestine of the intermediate host and growing. The final stage is the infective cystacanth which is the larval or juvenile state of an Acanthocephalan, differing from the adult only in size and stage of sexual development. The cystacanths within the intermediate hosts are consumed by the definitive host, usually attaching to the walls of the intestines, and as adults they reproduce sexually in the intestines. The acanthor is passed in the feces of the definitive host and the cycle repeats. There may be paratenic hosts for Filisoma.
Filisoma parasitizes animals. There are no reported cases of Filisoma infesting humans in the English language medical literature.