title: The Apple Snail Pomacea maculata (Caenogastropoda: Ampullariidae) as the intermediate host of Stomylotrema gratiosus (Trematoda: Stomylotrematidae) in Brazil: the first report of a mollusc host of a Stomylotrematid Trematode.
abstract: Trematodes belonging to the family Stomylotrematidae are intestinal parasites of birds. Despite the worldwide distribution and diversity of host species, the first intermediate host remains unknown. For a survey of parasites of Pomacea maculata , snails were collected from the municipality of São Vicente Férrer, state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. In the present study, the xiphidiocercariae shed from these snails were used in the experimental infection of the water bug Belostoma plebejum. The insect mortality was observed 30 days post-infection, and the metacercariae recovered in the body cavity of B. plebejum were identified as Stomylotrema gratiosus. This is the first report of an ampullariid snail as intermediate host of stomylotrematid trematodes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Taxonomia e Biologia de Invertebrados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, P.O. Box. 486, 30123-970.
authors.forename: Hudson A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Selma Patrícia D
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Cantanhede
authors.forename: Silvana C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Thiengo
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Monica A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D001717:Birds; D001938:Brazil; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000469:parasitology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology*; D014200:Trematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*