title: Metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum (Trematoda: Digenea) in European newts Triturus carnifex and Lissotriton vulgaris (Caudata: Salamandridae).
abstract: Adults of Clinostomum spp. are digenetic trematodes found in fish-eating birds, reptiles and occasionally mammals, including humans. Freshwater snails serve as first intermediate hosts and many fish species and amphibians as second intermediate hosts. To date, amphibian hosts of Clinostomum metacercariae include members of urodele and anuran families in North America, but no data are available on infections of European amphibians, including newts. In this study, we characterize infections of Clinostomum complanatum metacercariae in four smooth (Lissotriton vulgaris) and 18 Italian crested newts (Triturus carnifex) from an artificial pond located in a protected area in Tuscany, Italy. Parasites were surgically removed from the infected newts and identified both morphologically and using sequences of a mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase I, and the ribosomal markers, internal transcribed spacers. This is the first record of C. complanatum in European newts and, more generally, in amphibians in Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences,Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna,Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caffara
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology 'Leo Pardi',University of Florence,Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.affiliation: Private Veterinary Practitioner,Florence,Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences,Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna,Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gustinelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences,Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna,Italy.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D007558:Italy; D058488:Metacercariae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008853:Microscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014200:Trematoda / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV