Echinostoma revolutum and Echinoparyphium recurvatum recovered from house rats in Yangyang-gun, Kangwon-do

Abstract

During an investigation on intestinal flukes of house rats in Yangyang-gun, Kangwon-do, a total of 6 species of trematodes belonging to 3 families; Echinostomatidae (Echinostoma hortense, E. cinetorchis, E. revolutum and Echinoparyphium recurvatum), Diplostomidae (Fibricola seoulensis) and Plagiorchiidae (Plagiorchis muris), were recovered from two adult rats. E. revolutum and E. recurvatum were new trematode faunae of rats in Korea. E. revolutum had an elongated body, 5.3-6.0 mm long and 1.0-1.3 mm wide. The total number of collar spines was 35-37 including 5 end group ones on each ventral corner. Its coiled uterus contained numerous eggs. E. recurvatum also had an elongated body, 3.5-4.7 mm long and 0.50-0.65 mm wide. It had total 45 collar spines including 4 end group ones. The uterus was short with only a few eggs. It has been first confirmed by this study that E. revolutum and E. recurvatum are indigenously distributed among house rats in Korea.