How does the turtle bedbug feed? - briefly
The turtle bedbug pierces the host’s tissue with a slender proboscis, injects digestive enzymes to liquefy cells, and then ingests the resulting fluid. Feeding typically takes place nocturnally and can involve several individuals on a single host.
How does the turtle bedbug feed? - in detail
The turtle bedbug, a hematophagous ectoparasite of marine turtles, obtains nutrients by piercing the host’s skin and ingesting blood. Its mouthparts consist of a sharp, elongated proboscis equipped with serrated laciniae that cut through the epidermis and underlying tissue. Once the cuticle is breached, two slender stylets penetrate the capillary network, forming a temporary feeding tube.
Saliva released during the insertion contains anticoagulant proteins and vasodilators, preventing clot formation and expanding blood flow at the bite site. The bug then uses a muscular pharynx to draw blood upward through the stylets into its foregut. The ingested fluid passes into a midgut where digestive enzymes break down plasma proteins, while excess water is expelled through the hindgut, concentrating the nutrient load.
Key stages of the process:
- Attachment: Claws on the ventral surface grip the turtle’s scutes, providing stability.
- Penetration: Proboscis pierces skin; laciniae slice tissue.
- Salivation: Anticoagulant and vasodilatory compounds are injected.
- Ingestion: Muscular pumping draws blood into the digestive tract.
- Processing: Enzymatic digestion concentrates proteins; excess fluid is eliminated.
- Detachment: After feeding, the bug releases its grip and seeks another site.
Feeding bouts typically last from 10 to 30 minutes, allowing the parasite to acquire sufficient blood to sustain metabolism and reproductive development before returning to the surrounding environment.