The first record of the trematode parasite Aspidogaster conchicola in the freshwater mussel Unio pictorum in Croatia

Autor: Lajtner, Jasna, Matanović, Krešimir, Gjurčević, Emil, Ivanković, Dušica, Kiralj, Zoran, Trgovčić, Krešimira, Dragun, Zrinka
Přispěvatelé: Mičetić Stanković, Vlatka, Ivković, Marija, Matoničkin Kepčija, Renata, Sertić Perić, Mirela, Miliša, Marko, Vilenica, Marina
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Popis: Aspidogaster conchicola von Baer, 1826 is a common and widely distributed parasite of freshwater molluscs in the temperate zones of the Nearctic and Palearctic. Nevertheless, knowledge about its distribution and hosts in Croatia is still insufficient. Therefore, the aim of our research was to investigate the presence of A. conchicola in the freshwater mussel Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758). This species from the family Unionidae is widely distributed in the rivers of Europe and Russia. The study was conducted in the Mrežnica River, where U. pictorum is a common species. Five specimens of U. pictorum were collected by scuba diving in October 2021. The dissection of mussels was carried out in the laboratory, and all tissues were inspected under a stereo microscope. Determination of the parasite was performed based on the number and arrangement of alveoli. The results showed that the prevalence of infection was 40 % (two out of five mussels were infected), and the intensity of infestation was 2 - 3 specimens/mollusc, which is higher than the values known so far. All parasites were detected in the mussels’ pericardial cavity. In conclusion, this is the first record of A. conchicola in U. pictorum in the Mrežnica River, and the first finding in this mussel species in Croatia. Further investigation is needed to elucidate its distribution among other hosts.
Databáze: OpenAIRE