Parvatrema spp. which belong to the family Gymnophallidae utilize bivalve mollusks as intermediate hosts. The unique morphologic feature of Parvatrema spp. is a large, pit-like genital pore, distinctly anterior to the ventral sucker [1]. Fourteen species of Parvatrema are so far known, among which P. polymedosa was found only as metacercaria [2][3][4]. In the Republic of Korea, only 2 species of Parvatrema are known, P. chaii Sohn et al., 2007 and P. duboisi (Dollfus, 1923) Bartoli, 1974 (under the name P. timondavidi) [5][6][7]. P. chaii was described from experimental mice fed metacercariae collected from the surf-clam, Mactra veneriformis [5]. The metacercariae of P. duboisi were found in Tapes philippinarum, a marine clam species [6], and the infection rate of the clam was 77.3% in southern coastal areas of Korea [7].Parvatrema duboisi was originally described as Gymnophallus bursicola Odhner in Japan in 1900 [8], and redescribed as Parvatrema timondavidi Bartoli in 1963 [9]. However, P. timondavidi was considered a synonym of P. duboisi by Bartoli in 1974 [10, 11]. Hence, we used the name P. duboisi rather than P. timondavidi.The definitive hosts of gymnophallids are known to be marine and coastal birds. However, experimental infections of chicks and ducklings failed to obtain adults of P. duboisi, whereas experimental infections using mice and rats were successful to obtain adult flukes [11]. In Korea, ICR mice were used to obtain adult worms of P. duboisi and P. chaii [4,6]. Nevertheless, it is suspected that birds should play a pivotal role as the definitive host of Parvatrema spp. as seen in the case of Gymnophalloides seoi, of which the natural definitive host was the palearctic oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus [12]. In addition, Smith [13] suggested a strong positive association between bird abundance and the prevalence of trematode infections [13]. In the present study, we discovered the adult worms of P. duboisi and P. homoeotecnum from the intestine of migratory birds and report these findings with morphological descriptions.In a survey of crab-mediated trematodes, a great knot (Calidris tenuirostris; Fig. 1) and 2 Mongolian plovers (Charadrius mongolus; Fig. 2) were found dead at a coastal area of Gunsan-si, Jeoallbuk-do, in October 2009. They were immediately transferred
Discovery of Parvatrema duboisi and Parvatrema homoeotecnum (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) from Migratory Birds in KoreaKorean J Parasitol. Vol. 48, No. 3: 271-274, September 2010 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2010 271 Diseases, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Korea Abstract: Adult worms of Parvatrema spp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) were found in the intestines of 2 species of migratory birds, i.e., a great knot, Calidris tenuirostris, and 2 Mongolian plovers, Charadrius mongolus, in the coastal area of Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do in October 2009. The recovered Parvatrema worms were 79 in total number and composed of 2 species. The worms from a great knot were 289 mm in length with the oral and ventral sucker ratio of 2 : ...
