Diplodiscus mehrai Pande, 1937 and D. japonicus (Yamaguti, 1936): morphology of developmental stages and molecular data

Abstract

Specimens of the snails Anisus centrifugops were infected with two types of cercariae relating to the genus Diplodiscus, differing from each other by body and organ sizes were found in a pond in the territory of Vladivostok (Primorsky region, Russia). Further study of their morphology and life cycles allowed us to establish that these flukes belong to Diplodiscus japonicus (Yamaguti, 1936) and D. mehrai Pande, 1937. Morphological and molecular data confirmed the validity of D. japonicus which had previously been synonymized with D. amphichrus Tubangui, 1933 and D. mehrai Pande, 1937.

Keywords

• diplodiscus mehrai
• diplodiscus japonicus
• life cycle
• cercariae
• metacercariae
• adult worm