Storage material of the nematode Romanomermis culicivorax, a mermithid parasite of larval mosquitoes

Histochemical investigations showed that Romanomermis culicivorax in experimentally infected larvae of Aedes aegypti (L.) were found to accumulate storage products, primarily in the trophosome, from the fourth day of parasitic development onwards. Lipids constitute the predominant storage metabolite, glycogen the next most abundant, and proteins quantitatively only a minor storage product. Analytical studies showed that sterols (free and bound forms) constitute the greatest proportion of trophosomal lipids with triacyglycerol and phospholipids also present. Twelve proteins and one glycoprotein fractions but no lipoprotein fraction were identified from the trophosome..