Discovery of Maritrema obstipum (Digenea: Microphallidae) from Migratory Birds in Korea

• Main Authors: Ok-sik Chung, Woon-mok Sohn, Jong-yil Chai, Min Seo, Hye-jung Lee
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crocethia alba; Sanderling
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.271.8917

Abstract: Adults of Maritrema obstipum (Digenea: Microphallidae) were found in the intestines of 4 species of migratory birds, including the sanderling (Crocethia alba), Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrines), Mongolian plover (Charadrius mongolus), and red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis), collected from Yubu Island, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. The worms of were 451×265 µm in size, and were easily identifiable as Maritrema species by the presence of the cirrus sac, and the ring-like distribution of the vitellaria. More specifically, the ejaculatory duct curved posteromedially, and the 2 parts of vitelline follicles were found to be distinct at the posterior end. The eggs were brown-colored, and 19.8 × 12.3 µm in size. All these findings implicated M. obstipum as the pertinent species of the worms. Beside these, adult worms of Gynaecotyla squatarolae, Parvatrema duboisi, and Acanthoparyphium sp. were also discovered. This is the first report establishing migratory birds as the natural definitive hosts for M. obstipum. Key words: Maritrema obstipum, sanderling, Kentish plover, Mongolian plover, red-necked stint Microphallidae Ward, 1901 is a large family of small flukes found in the intestines of birds, that have consumed crustaceans [1]. In South Korea, the following 4 species have been described from crustacean hosts: Microphalloides japonicus from Helice tridens tridens, Levinseniella spp. from Macrophthalmus japonicus