Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in Melanoides tuberculata (Gastropoda: Thiaridae) from Vila do Abraão, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Researchers identified the heterophyid trematode Centrocestus formosanus in the invasive gastropod Melanoides tuberculata from Ilha Grande, Brazil. The parasite was detected in 21% of a sample of 483 specimens collected in June 2013, indicating its establishment in the region since 2007, following the introduction of M. tuberculata two years prior. The study involved experimental infections using pleurolophocercous cercariae to confirm the parasite's identity. Findings highlight the need for monitoring and control measures to assess potential environmental impacts, as these may currently be underestimated in Brazil.

Ximenes, R. F., Gonçalves, I. C. B., Miyahira, I. C., Pinto, H. A., Melo, A. L., & Santos, S. B. (2016). Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in Melanoides tuberculata (Gastropoda: Thiaridae) from Vila do Abraão, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 77(2), 318–322. https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.13615