A hypothesis to account for the anterior migrations of adult Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) and Moniliformis dubius (Acanthocephala) in the intestine of rats

The cestode, Hymenolepis diminuta, and the acanthocephalan, Moniliformis dubius, were found, by Chandler (1939) and Burlingame & Chandler (1941) respectively, to undergo an anterior migration in the intestine of rats after the establishment of the infection. More recently, these results have been confirmed by Holmes (1961, 1962) who stated that it is not unlikely that the worms select optimum sites along one or more of the many gradients known or postulated to exist along the length of the small intestine.