First light microscopy and ultrastructural description of Mesocoelium sociale (Luhe, 1901) Odhner, 1910 (Trematoda: Mesocoeliidae) in Bufo regularis from Egypt

Hasnaa Thabit,Refaat Khalifa

doi:10.1186/s41936-020-00159-x

Abstract

BackgroundMesocoeliidae is a common parasite of the small intestine of amphibians and reptiles. From Egypt, only Mesocoelium monas (Rudolphi C., Berolini 811 (1819)) (Freitas JF, Revista Brasiliera de Biologia 18:171-174, (1958)) was reported and described by (Saad AI et. al., J Egypt Ger Soc Zool 33: 219-234, (2000)) from the small intestine of the Egyptian toads Bufo regularis from Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, and the molecular characterization of the same parasite was reported by (Mansour MFA et. al., Egypt. J. Biol. (Zool.),10:(1)1-8, (2014)) without any morphological description from the same final host. The present study aimed to detect the prevalence and the characteristic morphological features of mesocoeliid parasites of the Egyptian toads Bufo regularis.MethodsToads were collected from Assiut and Giza Governorates during the autumn of 2018. They were dissected and examined by a dissecting microscope for intestinal parasites. The collected trematodes were fixed, stained, dehydrated, cleared, and mounted. Photomicrographs were taken and parasite measurements were determined. Some of the identified worms were prepared for scanning electron microscope for studying their ultrastructure.ResultsMesocoelium sociale was detected from the small intestine of 14 out of 51 toads Bufo regularis (27.5%) with worm burden (10–30 worms per host). Detailed morphometric characteristic features of the parasite were described by a light microscope. Scanning electron microscopy showed many fine ultrastructure details in the present study and confirmed the light microscopic description.ConclusionMesocoelium sociale (Luhe M, Centralblatt für Bakteriologie Parasitenkunde und Infektionsk-rankheiten, 30, 166-177, (1901)) (Odhner T., Res. Swedish Zool Exped Egypt iv, (23a), 1–166, (1910)) is recorded for the first time from Egypt as a trematode parasite of the Egyptian toads’ Bufo regularis and described by a light microscope. In addition, it is described for the first time worldwide by scanning electron microscopy.

Highlights

Mesocoeliidae is a common parasite of the small intestine of amphibians and reptiles
From Egypt, only Mesocoelium monas (Rudolphi, 1819) Freitas, 1958 was reported and described by Saad et al (2000) from the small intestine of the Egyptian toads’ Bufo regularis from Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, and its molecular characterizations were described by Mansour et al (2014) from toads collected from El-Mansoura city (Dakahliya Governorate) and Abo Rawash region (Giza Governorate), Lower Egypt
Collection of toads Fifty-one samples of Egyptian toads Bufo regularis are obtained from Assiut Governorate and Abo-Rawash region (Giza Governorate), Egypt, during the autumn of 2018

Summary

Introduction

Mesocoeliidae is a common parasite of the small intestine of amphibians and reptiles. From Egypt, only Mesocoelium monas (Rudolphi C., Berolini 811 (1819)) (Freitas JF, Revista Brasiliera de Biologia 18:171-174, (1958)) was reported and described by (Saad AI et al, J Egypt Ger Soc Zool 33: 219-234, (2000)) from the small intestine of the Egyptian toads Bufo regularis from Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, and the molecular characterization of the same parasite was reported by The present study aimed to detect the prevalence and the characteristic morphological features of mesocoeliid parasites of the Egyptian toads Bufo regularis. From Egypt, only Mesocoelium monas (Rudolphi, 1819) Freitas, 1958 was reported and described by Saad et al (2000) from the small intestine of the Egyptian toads’ Bufo regularis from Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, and its molecular characterizations were described by Mansour et al (2014) from toads collected from El-Mansoura city (Dakahliya Governorate) and Abo Rawash region (Giza Governorate), Lower Egypt.

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Conclusion