Infection Status with Digenetic Trematode Metacercariae in Fishes from Coastal Lakes in Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea

Abstract

The infection status of digenetic trematode metacercariae (DTM) was investigated in fishes from coastal lakes in Gangwon-do, the Republic of Korea (Korea). All fishes collected in 5 lakes were examined with the artificial digestion method. More than 10 species, i.e., <i>Metagonimus</i> spp., <i>Pygidiopsis</i> <i>summa</i>, <i>Centrocestus</i> <i>armatus</i>, <i>Metorchis</i> <i>orientalis</i>, <i>M</i>. <i>taiwanensis</i>, <i>Clinostomum</i> <i>complanatum</i>, <i>Echinostoma</i> spp., <i>Stictodora</i> spp., <i>Diplostomum</i> sp. and Diplostomid No. 1. by Morita (1960), of DTM were detected in fishes from 5 coastal lakes in Gangwon-do. <i>Metagonimus</i> spp. metacercariae were found in 52 (41.3%) out of 126 sea rundace, <i>Tribolodon</i> <i>hakonensis</i>, from 5 lakes, and their density was 14.6 per fish infected. <i>P</i>. <i>summa</i> metacercariae were detected in 48 (84.2%) out of 57 mullets from 5 lakes, and their density was 316 per fish infected. <i>C</i>. <i>armatus</i> metacercariae were detected in 7 (14.6%) <i>T</i>. <i>hakonensis</i> and 3 (15.0%) <i>Tridentiger</i> <i>brevispinis</i> from Hyang-ho, and 5 (19.2%) <i>Acanthogobius</i> <i>flavimanus</i> from Gyeongpo-ho. <i>Stictodora</i> spp. metacercariae were found in 4 fish species, i.e., <i>Tridentiger</i> <i>obscurus</i>, <i>Tridentiger</i> <i>trigonocephalus</i>, <i>Chelon</i> <i>haematocheilus</i>, and <i>Acanthogobius</i> <i>lactipes</i>, from Gyeongpo-ho. Total 15 <i>C</i>. <i>complanatum</i> metacercariae were detected in 2 (9.1%) crucian carp, <i>Carassius</i> <i>auratus</i>, from Songji-ho. <i>M</i>. <i>taiwanensis</i> metacercariae were found in <i>T</i>. <i>hakonensis</i> from Hyang-ho and Gyeongpo-ho and in <i>Pseudorasbora</i> <i>parva</i> from Gyeongpo-ho. Total 11 <i>M</i>. <i>orientalis</i> metacercariae were detected in 3 (6.3%) <i>T</i>. <i>hakonensis</i> from Hyang-ho. From the above results, it was confirmed that various species of DTM are infected in fishes from coastal lakes in Gangwon-do, Korea.