Morphological identification of Dendritobilharzia sp. (Schistosomatidae) from a Whooper Swan in the Republic of Korea.

IMPORTANCE

Avian schistosomes are important wildlife parasites, but their presence in the Republic of Korea has not been documented in the peer-reviewed literature. Documenting new host and geographic records is essential for understanding the parasite distribution and host-parasite interactions.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the morphology of schistosomes recovered from a Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) and determine their taxonomic identity.

METHODS

Two male schistosomes were recovered from the aorta of a Whooper Swan during a necropsy. The specimens were fixed, stained with Semichon's acetocarmine, and examined using optical microscopy. Identification was based on the established taxonomic keys. No statistical analysis was performed; all measurements are reported as the observed ranges from the two specimens examined.

RESULTS

The specimens showed the diagnostic features of Dendritobilharzia, including the absence of oral and ventral suckers, a flattened body, dendritic intestinal caeca, and numerous tests. Species-level identification was not possible because of the overlapping morphology and the absence of female, larval, and molecular data. The specimens were identified as Dendritobilharzia sp.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This paper reports the first record of Dendritobilharzia from an avian host in the Republic of Korea and provides baseline data on the avian schistosome distribution. These findings improve the understanding of parasite diversity and host-parasite relationships and support future studies on wildlife health and transmission.