CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TEGUMENTAL SPINES OF FOUR DIGENEAN SPECIES USING ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY MICROANALYSIS (EDXA)

The tegumental spines around the attachment organs in four species of digenetic trematodes namely; Fasciola gigantica, Schistosoma heamatobium, Cynodiplostomum azimi and Aporchis massiliensis were evaluated with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXA) for three chemical elements: sulphur, calcium and phosphorus at three regions of spine (tip, middle and base) and the average was recorded. Weight percent (wt %) of each chemical element for each digenean at different regions was recorded and analyzed for probability using SPSS computer program. The pattern of element distribution showed significant specific characteristics. In F. gigantica (distome type), sulphur had the highest concentration followed by calcium then phosphorous, in Aporchis massiliensis (echinostome type), calcium concentration was the highest followed by sulphur while phosphorous was completely absent. In S. heamatobium (shistosome type) and C. azimi (holostome type), which follow the same pattern, phosphorous had the highest concentration followed by sulphur then calcium. The functional significance of the variations in element distribution in different parts of the spines in diverse digenean types is most likely related to the habitat richness with these elements in addition to the ability of these digenean types to metabolize and make use of these elements