First Record of Echinoparyphium recurvatum (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae) in Pakistan with New Avian Definitive Host, Vanellus leucurus

TL;DR

This study reports the first occurrence of the trematode Echinoparyphium recurvatum in Pakistan, identifying V. leucurus as a new avian definitive host, based on parasitological examination of local bird populations.

Contribution

It documents the first record of Echinoparyphium recurvatum in Pakistan and identifies V. leucurus as a new definitive host species.

Findings

First record of Echinoparyphium recurvatum in Pakistan.

V. leucurus identified as a new avian definitive host.

64 trematodes collected from two hosts.

Abstract

Parasitological examinations of White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) collected from Dadu district (Sindh Province, Southern Pakistan) were carried out at the Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro. A total of 64 trematodes belonging to the genus Echinoparyphium [1], were collected from the small intestine of two individual hosts. On the basis of the number and varying size of collar spines, number and size of ventral spines, body shape, arrangement of genital organs, distribution of vitellaria and other diagnostic characters, these trematodes were identified as Echinoparyphium recurvatum [2]. Our study provides the first Pakistan record of the trematode E. recurvatum with also the first record of V. leucurus as avian definitive host.