The Taxonomy and Biology of Philophthalmid Eyeflukes

Pathology and first report of natural infections of the eye trematode Philophthalmus lachrymosus Braun, 1902 (Digenea, Philophthalmidae) in a non-human mammalian host

“…The species was further referred in the conjunctival sacs of the Kelp gull Larus dominicanus Lich., 1823 by Travassos et al (1960), in the optical cavity of Catoptrophorus semipalmatus (Gmelin, 1789) by Nasir and Diaz (1972) and in the eyes of humans (Nollen & Kanev 1995, Lamothe-Argumedo et al 2003.…”

“…Considering the fact that there are 37 valid species in the genus, Nollen and Kanev (1995) affirm that several species of Philophthalmus Looss, 1899 fall into special groups and will need more study to determine their validity. Also, Freitas (1955) during his study of P. lachrymosus observed differences in the specimens, when compared to data after Braun (1902) and considered that the differences were related to age, compression of specimens and low host specificity that could interfere in the aspect and size of morphological structures.…”

Philophthalmus aweerensis n. sp. (Trematoda: Philophthalmidae) found in a rhea (Rhea americana) in the United Arab Emirates

“…The oriental eye fluke, P. gralli, was first described in a wide variety of birds from Vietnam but it was also found on the mainland of the USA (West 1961), in Hawaii (Alicata 1962), in Jordan (Ismail and Issa 1987), in the UAE (Ismail and Arif 1991), in Saudi Arabia (Kalantan et al 1997), in Venezuela (Diaz et al 2002), and Brazil (Verocai et al 2009) and also in Zimbabwe (Mukaratirwa et al 2005). It has also been found in India under the synonyms Philophthalmus lucknowensis and Philophthalmus anatinus (Nollen and Kanev 1995). P. lucipetus that was considered an European species in the past was found also in Israel by Radev et al (1999).…”

First Egyptian record of the eye fluke (Philophthalamus palpebrarum) transmitted by Melanoides tuberculata snail and its experimental life cycle

“…While Arabia (Kalantan et al, 1998), and Israel (Farstey, 1986), where only the cercaria and redia were mentioned. It has also been found in India under the synonyms Philophthalmus lucknowensis and Philophthalmus anatinus (Nollen and Kanev, 1995). Also Radev et al (1999) recorded P. lucipetus in Israel that was considered an European species in the past.…”