Phyllodistomum umblae (Fabricius) (Digenea, Gorgoderidae) from British Columbia salmonids: a description based on light and scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

Specimens of Phyllodistomum umblae (Fabricius, 1780) from Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum) from the Nautley River, British Columbia, and Salmo gairdneri Richardson from the Stuart River, British Columbia, are described and figured using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Particular emphasis is placed on describing the numbers, types, and arrangement of papillae as seen with scanning electron microscopy. No significant differences were observed between the present Canadian material from O. nerka and S. gairdneri and specimens of P. umblae described from Norway, Sweden, and the U.S.S.R. Thus, P. umblae has a holarctic distribution in salmonids. Phyllodistomum limnosa Sandeman and Pippy, 1967, described from Salmo salar L. and Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill) from Newfoundland, is regarded as a synonym of P. umblae. Phyllodistomum lachancei Choquztte, 1947, described from S. fontinalis in Quebec, probably is also a synonym of P. umblae, but a more detailed scanning electron microscope study of the papillae in P. lachancei is required for confirmation.