Echinostoma hortense and heterophyid metacercariae encysted in yellowfin goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, from Shinan-gun and Muan-gun (Jeollanam-do), Korea.

Fishborne trematode (FBT) metacercariae were investigated in yellowfin goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, collected from Shinan-gun and Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do (province), Korea. All collected fishes were examined using the artificial digestion method. In all of 15 gobies from Aphae-myeon in Shinan-gun, metacercariae of Stictodora spp. (334 metacercariae/fish), Heterophyes nocens (153/fish), and Heterophyopsis continua (20/fish) were detected. In 2 of 14 gobies from Jido-myeon in Shinan-gun, 8 Echinostoma hortense metacercariae in total were detected. In 15 gobies from Haeje-myeon in Muan-gun, the metacercariae of H. continua were found in 100%, Stictodora spp. in 86.7%, and H. nocens in 6.7% of fish examined. The average numbers of metacercariae per infected fish were 23.3 (H. continua), 416.0 (Stictodora spp.), and 2.0 (H. nocens), respectively. The metacercariae of E. hortense found in gobies were elliptical, with 150 x 138 microm in average size, and had 27 collar spines on the head crown. The above results suggest that yellowfin gobies from 2 localities may be the potential infection sources of FBT. Moreover, it is proved for the first time that the yellowfin goby, A. flavimanus, acts as a second intermediate host for E. hortense.