Surveys of Gynaecotyla squatarolae and Microphallus koreana (Digenea: Microphallidae) metacercariae in two species of estuarine crabs in western coastal areas, Korea.

To figure out the geographical distribution of Gynaecotyla squatarolae and Microphallus koreana metacercariae in Korea, shore crabs of southwestern coastal areas were examined. Eight coastal areas in Inchon-si (A), Gyeonggi-do (B), Chungcheongnam-do (C, D, and E), Jeollabuk-do (F), and Jeollanam-do (G and H) were selected, and 2 kinds of crabs, Macrophthalmus dilatatus and/or Macrophthalmus japonicus, were caught. After transportation to the laboratory, 15 crabs per each group were grouped and ground in a mortar and pestle, and examined for microphallid metacercariae. In M. dilatatus, G. squatarolae metacercariae were recovered from 3 (C, E, and H) out of 6 regions, but M. koreana metacercariae were not recovered. In the case of M. japonicus, G. squatarolae metacercariae were recovered from 6 (B, D, E, F, G, and H) of 7 areas surveyed, and M. koreana matacercariae were detected from 5 regions (A, B, D, F, and H). These results indicate that the life cycle of G. squatarolae is maintained in the western coastal areas using M. dilatatus and M. japonicus as intermediate hosts, while that of M. koreana is maintained only using M. japonicus.