ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOST BODY SIZE ON MORPHOMETRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANCYLODISCOIDES SILURI AND ANCYLODISCOIDES VISTULENSIS

The dependence of the size of 10 characteristics of sclerotised parts of Ancylodiscoides vistulensis and A. siluri, both specialists, on the body size of their specific host (Silurus glanis) as well as their variability were examined. Five out of the ten measured characters of A. siluri showed low variability, while only the total length of anchor showed low variability in the case of A. vistulensis. The number of the characteristics which depend on the host body size is larger in A. vistulensis, possibly due to the relatively higher variability of that species. Correlation between the total length of anchor, which is the most stable feature, and many of the other features was observed, while this feature itself doesn't depend on the host body size. Relatively high variability in the measurements of the characteristics of copulatory organ as well as correlation between some of these features and the host body size was observed for both species.