Research Product

Calyptospora funduli has a broad host of specificity, infecting at least 7 natural and 10 additional experimental definitive hosts, all atheriniform fishes, in 5 families, mostly in the genus Fundulus. Barriers, apparently biochemical-physiological-genetic ones, prevent any development of C. funduli in perciform fishes, but incomplete or abnormal development of the parasite occured in a few atypical atheriniform hosts. In the freshwater species F. olivaceus and F. notti, these abnormalities consisted of asynchronous development, degeneration of the parasite in early stages of development, and the formation of numerous macrophage aggregates. Rivulus marmoratus has the ability to eliminate infections with a granulomatous inflammatory response. Additional barriers that limit natural infections of C. funduli in other hosts include feeding behavior and geographic isolation.