Abstract
Background
A known species Lutztrema (Lutziella) microacetabularae Rhode, 1966 is being described for the first time from Pakistan. This species is characterized by having body long and slender, oral sucker subterminal, acetabulum smaller than oral sucker lying in anterior third of the body, pharynx small, esophagus prominent which become gradually wider and bifurcates in to two rudimentary caeca. Testes symmetrical at the level of posterior margin of acetabulum separated by uterine coils, cirrus pouch median, pre-acetabular, genital opening some distance behind pharynx. Receptaculumsemin is behind ovary. Ovary submedian, post-testicular, Laurer's canal present. Vitellaria lateral from the level of testes to a short distance behind middle of the body. Uterus occupies most of the hind body, eggs small, oval, numerous. It is being reported from the rat (Rattusrattus L.) from Swat.
Keywords: Rattusrattus, Small intestine, Trematode, Pakistan
Introduction
Studies on helminth parasites of vertebrates have been done in the world but in Pakistan such type of studies have been confined and restricted to targeted animal populations. Mostly these studies have been undertaken on fishes (1, 2) and birds (3–5) while no such work has been carried out on rodents of Swat, Pakistan.
The present study was conducted in March 2011. During this study 11 trematodes of the genus Lutziella Rohde, 1966 (6) were recovered from the small intestine of Rattusrattus which are being described in detail.
Materials and Methods
Live rats (RattusrattusL.) were collected from the maize field of Miandam, Swat and brought to VPCI, SARC, Karachi. The rats were anesthetized and dissected for the presence of helminth parasites. During the examination eleven trematodes belonging to the genus Lutziella Rohde, 1966 were recovered from the small intestine of the host. Specimens were fixed in FAA solution under slight cover glass pressure, stained in Mayer's carmalum, dehydrated in graded series of ethanol, cleared in clove oil and xylol and mounted in Canada balsam. Measurements are in millimeters. Specimens are in the possession of (W.K).
| Host: | Rattusrattus (L.) |
| Location: | Small intestine |
| Locality: | Maize fields, Miandam, Swat, Pakistan |
| No. of specimens recovered: | Eleven from two host |
| No. of host examined: | 130 |
Lutztrema(Lutziella)microacetabulareRohde, 1966
Fig. 1.
Photomicrograph of Lutztrema (Lutziella) microacetabularae, holotype
Fig. 2.
Lutztrema (Lutziella) microacetabularae, Holotype entire
Case
Body long and slender measuring 1.64-2.80 by 0.68-0.88, Oral sucker subterminal, measuring 0.12-0.24 by 0.08-0.12. Acetabulum smaller than oral sucker measuring 0.10-0.15 by 0.075-0.10 lying in anterior third of the body.Pharynx small measuring 0.08- 0.12 by 0.04- 0.08.Eosophagus prominent measuring 0.075 – 0.15 by 0.03-0.10 which become gradually wider and bifurcates in to two rudimentary caeca. Testes symmetrical at the level of posterior margin of acetabulum separated by uterine coils. The left measuring 0.24 – 0.27 by 0.15 – 0.21, while the right measuring 0.22 – 0.25 by 0.10 – 0.19. Cirrus pouch median, preacetabular, genital opening some distance behind pharynx. Cirrus pouch measures 0.09- 0.15 by 0.30 –0.060.Receptaculumsem-inislocated behindthe ovary. Ovary submedian, post-testicular measuring 0.08 – 0.20 by 0.04- 0.024. Laurer's canal present. Vitellaria lateral from the level of testes to a short distance behind middle of the body. Uterus occupies most of the hind body, eggs small, oval, numerous measuring 0.022 – 0.41 by 0.015 – 0.019.
Discussion
As indicated by the structure of caeca, the new form is among all Dicrocoeliidae, most closely related to Lutztrema, Travassos, 1941, but differs from Lutztremain the testes are oblique while in present specimen they are symmetrical; moreover in Lutztrema acetabulum is larger than oral sucker while in present genus it is smaller than oral sucker. In Lutztrema the vitellaria are post ovarian, while in the present specimens it extends in to the space in front of the ovary. Due to the combinations of all these characters the species belong to the genus Lutziella Rohde, 1966, although there are small difference in the size of pharynx and testes, the rest characters are in accordance from the host Myotismystacinus (Kahl) from Jandabaik, Pahang Malaya and thus is regarded the same from a new host and locality.
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