First Introduction of Two Australian Temnocephalan Species into Africa with an Alien Host: Double Trouble

Abstract

The redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (Decapoda: Parastacidae), is native to Australia but has been introduced to South Africa as a warm-water aquaculture species. In a South African natural waterbody, examined crayfish had high-intensity infections of 3 temnocephalan species on their body surfaces and within the branchial chambers. Temnocephalans were characterized using light and scanning electron microscopy and identified as Craspedella pedum, Diceratocephala boschmai, and Didymorchis sp. This is the first report of the introduction of Australian temnocephalans, C. pedum and Didymorchis sp., to Africa and expands the known distribution of these species beyond their presumptive native range. The present study also documents a naturalized population of C. quadricarinatus from a natural water body in South Africa, comprising a new geographical locality record.

Contributions to the knowledge of Pseudolevinseniella (Trematoda: Digenea) and temnocephalans from alien crayfish in natural freshwaters of Thailand

“…In this study, crayfish C. quadricarinatus were captured from natural environments in Thailand as in Wanjit and Chaichana (2013) and Chaichana and Wanjit (2018), in which C. quadricarinatus was found in a reservoir in Eastern Thailand. These invasive crayfish occur as feral populations in several countries (Jones, 2011); in the excellent report by Tavakol et al. (2016), thirty-five individuals of C. quadricarinatus with three ecto-temnocephalan species were found in South Africa.…”

“…destructor , there was not found any temnocephalans or trematodes. Flatworms were gently separated from several external parts of crayfish that were immediately killed by cutting the cervical groove according to the report of Tavakol et al. (2016).…”

“…In SEM, the fixation and dehydration of D. boschmai and Temnosewellia were followed by the method of Tavakol et al. (2016).…”

“…(2014) found D. boschmai on the bodies of C. destructor from local farms of freshwater crayfish in Thailand. Furthermore, Tavakol et al. (2016) reported excellent data regarding D. boschmai , Craspedella pedum and Didymorchis sp.…”

Trying to take over the world: Potential distribution of Obama nungara (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae), the Neotropical land planarian that has reached Europe

“…Introduced species that are also parasitized are supposed to be a double risk in the non-native areas. In this way, parasites introduced with its invasive hosts have new opportunities for finding novel hosts in a new colonized habitat (Dunn, 2009;Dunn et al, 2012;Tavakol et al, 2016), with consequences on the biodiversity and health of the native species.…”