What is paragonimus rudis (diesing, 1850)?: report on a field study in Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

Paragonimus rudis was found in the lungs of a giant otter Lutra (pteronura) brasiliensis by Natterer in 1828, who dissected the animal in the former capital Mato Grosso (=Vila Bela), Brazil. The flukes were described by Diesing in 1850, and redescribed by Braun in 1901. Both descriptions do not allow to identify the species. Therefore, P. rudis must be regarded a "nomen nudum". Because its rediscovery is desirable with regard to historical reasons and nomenclatoric questions, a field study was performed in Mato Grosso in 1980. Of 354 freshwater crabs from 24 localities collected and examined for parasitic infections, about 25% were found to be infected with 7kinds of trematode larvae, which differed distincly from Paragonimus-metacercariae. The question, whether P. rudis or other lung fluke species do not seem to occur or cannot be found any longer in the area investigated by us, is discussed.Em 1828, Natterer encontrou o Paragonimus rudis nos pulmões de uma lontra gigante Lutra (Pteronura) brasiliensis, Vila Bela (Mato Grosso) Brasil. Os vermes foram descritos em 1850 por Diesing e novamente em 1909 por Braun. Ambas descrições nãopermitem a identificação das espécies e portanto P. rudis pode ser tido como "nomennudum". Foi feita uma tentativa de se encontrar outros exemplares examinando 354 caranguejos de 24 localidades. Cerca de 25% deles estavam infectados com sete tipos de larvas de trematódeos que diferem das metacercárias de Paragonimus. Assim permanece sem resposta a pergunta: O que é o Paragonimus rudi?.