The Digenean Clinostomum complanatum Found from Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo in Japan

Abstract

Great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo were found dead in a goldfish farm in Aichi Prefecture. They were infected with trematodes in the oral cavity. Based on morphological observation and genetic analysis, the trematodes were identified as Clinostomum complanatum. This is the first case reporting C. complanatum infection of great cormorants in Japan. Heavy metacercarial infection of goldfish was found in the same fish farm. The metacercariae were shown to be the same species as the adult worms from the bird by molecular analysis. These results suggest that great cormorant is involved in the life cycle of this trematode in farmed goldfish.