The life cycle of Clinostomum complanatum Rudolphi, 1814 (Digenea, Clinostomidae) on the floodplain of the high Paraná river, Brazil

Abstract

The life cycle of the digenetic trematode Clinostomum complanatum was studied on the floodplain of the high Parana´river, Brazil. Sampling was done between June 1999 and June 2000. The mollusc Biomphalaria peregrina was the first intermediate host with a prevalence of infection of 0.75%. The fish Loricariichthys platymetopon, Hoplosternum littorale, Parauchenipterus galeatus, Hoplias malabaricus and Loricaria sp. were second intermediate hosts, with the prevalence varying from 2.45% (H. malabaricus) to 60.8% (L. platymetopon). The birds Ardea cocoi, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, Egretta alba and Egretta thula were definitive hosts, with the prevalence ranging between 5.5% (E. thula) and 95% (A. cocoi). The high prevalences in birds, especially in A. cocoi, suggest some kind of mechanism facilitating the predation of infected fish. The importance of the various hosts is discussed, and it is concluded that the floodplain of the high Parana´river has suitable conditions for the maintenance of the life cycle of C. complanatum.

Incidence and histopathology of encysted progenetic metacercaria of Clinostomum complanatum (Digenea: Clinostomidae) in Channa punctatus and its development in experimental host

“…About 54 species have been reported by various authors, even though its classification is quiet controversial and C. complanatum is the most frequent species of this genus found in India. At least 24 fish species as the second intermediate host for the metacercarial stage of this parasite have been reported from different parts of the world [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] , but in India, it is normally found in T. fasciatus as non encysted metacercaria [4] , however, in the present study we describe the incidence of the same parasite in an economically important food fish C. punctatus as encysted metacercaria. Nevertheless, this parasite has been reported in the same host fish (single worm) from Meghalaya, India, with a prevalence rate of 0.74%, but was in non-encysted form [17] .…”

Parasitism of Cichlasoma paranaense Kullander, 1983 and Gymnotus carapo Linnaeus, 1814 by Clinostomum complanatum (Rudolphi, 1814) Metacercariae in the Taquari river

“…Metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum have been found in many fish species, e.g., Lepomis macrochirus, L. gulosus, L. auritus, Pomoxis nigromaculatus, Micropterus salmoides (Hanzen & Esch, 1978), Trichogaster fasciatus (Siddiqui & Nizami, 1982), Aphanius dispar (Kalantan et al, 1987), Rhamdia guatemalensis (Pérez-Ponce de León et al, 1992), Aloophorus robustus (Guzmán-Cornejo & García-Pietro, 1999), Rhamdia cf. quelen (Vianna, 2001), Hoplias malabaricus, Loricaria sp., Hoplosternum littorale, Loricariichthys platymetopon, and Parauchenipterus galeatus (Dias et al, 2003). Metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum have also been found in toads, frogs, salamanders, and tritons (Yamaguti, 1971;Muzzall, 1991;Goldberg et al, 1998), as well as in many fish species, thus demonstrating the diversity of hosts this parasite can exploit.…”

First Report of Clinostomum complanatum (Trematoda: Digenea) in European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) from an Italian Subalpine Lake: A Risk for Public Health?

“…9.4 m) and it hosts several mollusks, fish, and bird species involved in the parasite's life cycle. Furthermore, the shallow water with high concentrations of gastropods and fish attracts swarms of piscivorous birds simultaneously, thus perpetuating the parasite's cycle [5]. The ecological factors involved in its life cycle are not entirely known, however.…”

“…In the first intermediate host, miracidia hatch from eggs and undergo asexual reproduction several times before developing into sporocysts, rediae, and then brevifurcate cercariae. Free-swimming cercariae penetrate the skin of fish, where they develop into metacercariae that are infectious for piscivorous birds, the definitive hosts [5].…”