Glaridacris catostomi

This flatworm species predominantly occurs throughout southern Canada and northern parts of the United States. In Canada, it has been found in the provinces and territories of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territories. Within the United States, occurrences have been documented in the states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Although this flatworm has been reported in the rivers of northeastern Siberia, Russia, there is no reference specimen form existing from this location to confirm the species identification. This observation was in the longnose sucker, C. catostomos, and is thought to have been transported here by a human introduction of this host species.

Like other plathyhelminthes, Glaridacris catostomi is a hermaphroditic species, meaning each individual produces both eggs and sperms. The eggs of this species are larger than comparable species, measurements falling between 54 to 55u by 38 to 48u.

Glaidacris catostomi is a parasite of catostomid fishes. Like other cestodes, it obtains nutrients by feeding through the digestive tract of the host. Here, nutrients are absorbed through the outer surface of the tapeworm. This species is known to parasitize individuals of the main host, white sucker (Catostomus commersonii). There are additional hosts including the longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus), Sacramento sucker (Catostomus occidentalis), and the creek chubsucker (Erimyzon oblonggus). There are other unverified records of hosts including the northern hogsucker (Hypentellium nigricans), greater redhorse (Moxostoma rubreques), chain pickerel (Esox niger), quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus), and logperches (Percina).