CERCARIAE INFECTION IN PLANORBIDAE MOLLUSCS FROM THE FLOODPLAIN OF THE HIGH PARANÁ RIVER, BRAZIL

INFECÇÃO POR CERCÁRIAS DE MOLUSCOS PLANORDÍDEOS DA PLANÍCIE DE INUNDAÇÃO DO ALTO RIO PARANÁ, BRASIL

ABSTRACT

The outhous investigated the infection by cercariae of molluscs collected from the floodplain of the high Paraná river, Brazil. A total of 4,620 specimens of Planorbidae molluscs were sampled, including Biomphalaria peregrina, Physa cubensis, and Ampullaria sp. Only the B. peregrina specimens released cercariae, after artificial exposure to light. The cercariae were identified as Apharyngostrigea sp., three forms that belong to the group Strigeidae/Diplostomidae, one form that belongs to the Strigeidae and another one that belongs to the Diplostomidae.

KEY WORDS:
Brazil; cercariae; Digenea; Paraná; river; Planorbidae molluscs.