Austrobilharzia variglandis (Miller and Northup, 1926) Penner, 1953, (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae) in Hawaii with Notes on Its Biology

Abstract

The larval schistosome reported from Hawaii (Science 115: 151-153, 1952) is identified as that of Austrobilharzia variglandis (Miller and Northup, 1926) Penner, 1953. The natural hosts are a marine snail, Littorina pintado Wood, and the ruddy turnstone. Arenaria interpres interpres (L.). In the laboratory chickens, ducks, noddy terns and sooty terns were infected with A. variglandis cercariae which were later recovered as mature schistosomes from the mesenteric veins. All stages of the life cycle were maintained in the laboratory for more than a year, enabling observation on certain details of these stages not previously reported. Egg, miracidium and excretory systems of the adults are described and figured for the first time.