Intraproboscis

Intraproboscis is a genus of acanthocephalans which are thorny-headed or spiny-headed parasitic worms. The genus name describes the unusual position of the receptacle within the proboscis and the species name denotes the tribal name in the specific geographical location where the specimens were collected in the Central African Republic.

The distribution of I. sanghae is determined by that of its hosts. I. sanghae has been found in the Central African Republic.

Life cycle of Acanthocephala.[3]

The Long-tailed pangolin is the definitive host of I. sanghae.

The life cycle of an acanthocephalan comprises three stages beginning when an infective acanthor (development of an egg) is released from the intestines of the definitive host and then ingested by an arthropod, the intermediate host. Although the intermediate hosts of Intraproboscis are not known, however pangolins eat many insects. When the acanthor molts, the second stage called the acanthella begins. This stage involves penetrating the wall of the mesenteron or the intestine of the intermediate host and growing. The final stage is the infective cystacanth which is the larval or juvenile state of an Acanthocephalan, differing from the adult only in size and stage of sexual development. The cystacanths within the intermediate hosts are consumed by the definitive host, usually attaching to the walls of the intestines, and as adults they reproduce sexually in the intestines. The acanthor are passed in the feces of the definitive host and the cycle repeats. There are no known paratenic hosts (hosts where parasites infest but do not undergo larval development or sexual reproduction) for Intraproboscis.[4]

I. sanghae parasitizes the pangolin by infests these hosts by using hooks on their proboscis to pierce and hold the wall of the intestines.