Diplostomum cf. vanelli Yamaguti, 1935 (Trematoda: Diplostomidae Poirier, 1886): Morpho-Molecular Data and Life Cycle

Abstract

Furcocercariae, of the trematodes from the family Diplostomidae, were found in freshwater snails—Radix auricularia, which were collected in a reservoir located on Popov Island (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan). The life cycle was experimentally reproduced for the first time, while morphometric data for the development stages were studied and described for the newly discovered trematode. Moreover, molecular data for nuclear and mitochondrial markers were also obtained. It was determined that the morphometric characteristics of the trematode coincided with the species Diplostomum cf. vanelli, the molecular data analysis validates the species independence. Furthermore, the study highlights the issue of species identification in the Diplostomum genus.