Folia Parasitologica 55[2] 122-126 (2008) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2008.016

Euparyphium albuferensis and Echinostoma friedi (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae): experimental cercarial transmission success in sympatric snail communities

Carla Muñoz-Antoli, Antoni Marin, Amparo Vidal, Rafael Toledo, José Guillermo Esteban

Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot - Valencia, Spain

Euparyphium albuferensis and Echinostoma friedi cercarial infectivity to four species of sympatric snails was examined under single- or multiple-choice laboratory conditions to show the level of parasite-snail host compatibility. Radix peregra, Lymnaea fuscus, Physella acuta and Gyraulus chinensis act as second intermediate hosts of both parasite species although different cercarial transmission success (CTS) was observed. In single-host experiments, R. peregra and P. acuta showed a high degree of compatibility with E. albuferensis, while only P. acuta in the case of E. friedi. In two-choice snail communities, a snail with high CTS increased the values of another with low compatibility, in both parasite species. In multiple-choice snail communities, high CTS of some hosts decreased, while low CTS of other hosts increased. The degree of parasite-host compatibility of each snail species could be determined by the presence of other snails in the community.

Keywords: Euparyphium albuferensis, Echinostoma friedi, cercarial transmission success, compatibility, sympatry, Radix peregra, Lymnaea fuscus, Physella acuta, Gyraulus chinensis

Received: November 7, 2007; Accepted: February 21, 2008; Published: June 1, 2008  Show citation