Life cycle of Echinorhynchus gadi

The life cycle of E. gadi.

Solid lines show the basic life cycle which has a minimum of two hosts. Dashed lines show how the basic life cycle is extended by incorporating a postcyclic host. A. Shelled acanthors (eggs) are ingested by an amphipod intermediate host in which they develop into cystacanth larvae. B. Fish serving as definitive hosts become infected when they ingest amphipods containing mature cystacanth larvae. C. Postcyclic parasitism occurs if the definitive host is consumed by another fish and the adult acanthocephalans survive to parasitise the predator. D. The life cycle is completed when following mating, eggs are released from the definitive/postcyclic host with the hosts faeces.