Melanoides tuberculata as intermediate host of Centrocestus formosanus (Nishigori, 1924) in Tunisia

Abstract

Melanoides tuberculata that naturally harbored trematode larvae were collected at the irrigation system in Ain Soltan’s oasis (southwest of Tunisia), during malacological surveys conducted from January to December 2013. From 2160 specimens of M. tuberculata collected, 31 (1.4%) were infected by the cercariae of Centrocestus formosanus (Digenea: Heterophyidae). The parasite was present in snails larger than 19 mm. This is the first report of C. formosanus in M. tuberculata in Tunisia.

Keywords: Centrocestus formosanus, Melanoides tuberculata, Tunisia, intermediate host.

Afrian Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(27) 2774-2777