The effect of conventional preservatives on spicule length of Heligmosomoides bakeri (Nematoda, Heligmosomidae)

Musah-Eroje, M.; Burton, L.; Behnke, J. M.

Abstract

Nematode spicules vary in shape and size even between closely related species and, therefore, constitute key characters in nematode taxonomy for distinguishing between species. Spicules are seldom measured on fresh specimens, but rather at some time after extraction from culled hosts and after a period of preservation of the worms in chemical fixatives or by freezing. We carried out two experiments to assess the effects of freezing in Hanks' balanced salt solution, 70% or 80% ethanol and 10% formalin (both of the latter at room temperature and after storage at -80°C) on spicule length of Heligmosomoides bakeri at two time intervals after extraction from mice (Experiment 1, one and four weeks; Experiment 2, one and four months). In Experiment 1, no significant differences were detected, although there was some variation between treatments and over time. In Experiment 2, spicule length varied significantly between treatments and over time, the greatest shrinkage being in 80% ethanol and the least in 10% formalin. However, overall variation in spicule length was very limited, accounting for no more than 5.03% change in length over time and 4.95% between treatments at any of the periods of assessment. Therefore, while whole nematodes can shrivel and shrink in preservatives, making many measurements unreliable, our data indicated that spicule lengths are very little changed by preservation techniques over time, and so spicule length remains as a reliable taxonomic character.

Citation

Musah-Eroje, M., Burton, L., & Behnke, J. M. (2021). The effect of conventional preservatives on spicule length of Heligmosomoides bakeri (Nematoda, Heligmosomidae). Journal of Helminthology, 95, Article e69. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X21000596

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 13, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Nov 22, 2021
• Publication Date: Nov 22, 2021
• Deposit Date: Nov 24, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 24, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Helminthology
• Print ISSN: 0022-149X
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-2697
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 95
• Article Number: e69
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X21000596
• Keywords: Animal Science and Zoology; General Medicine; Parasitology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6786346
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-helminthology/article/effect-of-conventional-preservatives-on-spicule-length-of-heligmosomoides-bakeri-nematoda-heligmosomidae/39DD56AD3780A9E8292B6D3A4E417101