Abstract
During an investigation on intestinal flukes of cattle egret, Ardeola ibis ibis excysted metacercaria and adult worms belonging to family Echinostomatidae Nephrostomum ramosum were recovered. The tegumental surface of N. ramosum was described for the first time using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM observations of excysted metacercaria and adult worms showed some basic differences, excysted metacercaria is conical shaped, ventrally curved, the oral sucker is not developed and the ventral sucker is located in the anterior third of the body, while adult worm has an elongated body with a distinct head collar at the central of which is located on the subterminal oral sucker. The oral and ventral suckers are located closely in the anterior fifth of the body. The total number of collar spines is 40 including five end group ones on each ventral corner. The tegument of the body is wrinkled with transverse grooves and is devoid of spines. The surface of whole body is lacking sensory papillae except the dorsal area of the cephalic region. The results reveal that the characteristic features of N. ramosum, including the number and shape of collar spines, the corrugated surface of the body, absence of tegumental spines and distribution of papillae differed from other echinostomes. Key words: Trematode, echinostomatidae, Ardeola ibis ibis, tegument, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Nephrostomum ramosum.
Highlights
Wild birds form a large branch of the animal kingdom and are very widely distributed
The results reveal that the characteristic features of N
Many investigators in different parts of the world paid a great attention to studying the helminth parasites of wild birds (Nicoll, 1923; Ali, 1968; Mawson, 1977; Guta, 1983; Borgsteede, 1989; Tanveer and Chishti, 2001; Foronda et al, 2003; Kulisic et al, 2004)
Summary
Wild birds form a large branch of the animal kingdom and are very widely distributed. Many investigators in different parts of the world paid a great attention to studying the helminth parasites of wild birds (Nicoll, 1923; Ali, 1968; Mawson, 1977; Guta, 1983; Borgsteede, 1989; Tanveer and Chishti, 2001; Foronda et al, 2003; Kulisic et al., 2004). In Egypt, the helminth parasites of some wild birds have been studied by Azim (1935), El-Naffar et al. Nephrostomum ramosum (Family: Echinostomatidae) was recorded for the first time from cattle egret in Egypt by Azim (1934). Echinostomatidae are the presence, number, size, shape and arrangement of collar spines.
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