| Abstract: | A review of heterophyid trematodes found in Mexico, both as metacercariae encysted in fish and adults in fish-eating birds and mammals, is presented, including numerous new geographical and host records. Data on the morphology, spectrum of intermediate and definitive hosts, site of infection of metacercariae, distribution in Mexico and biology of the following species are provided (species first reported from Mexico marked with an asterisk): *Ascocotyle (Ascocotyle) gemina Font, Overstreet and Heard, 1984; A. (A.) leighi Burton, 1956; A. (A.) tenuicollis Price, 1935; A. (Leighia) chandleri Lumsden, 1963; *A. (L.) mcintoshi Price, 1936; A. (L.) megalocephala Price, 1932; A. (L.) nunezae Scholz, Vargas-Vazquez, Vidal-Martínez and Aguirre-Macedo, 1997; Ascocotyle (Leighia) sp.; *A. (Phagicola) ampullacea Miller and Harkema, 1962; A. (P.) diminuta Stunkard and Haviland, 1924; A. (P.) macrostoma (Robinson, 1956); *A. (P.) longa Ransom, 1920; A. (P.) nana Ransom, 1920; Centrocestus formosanus (Nishigori, 1924); *Euhaplorchis californiensis Martin, 1950; Galactosomum puffini Yamaguti, 1941; *Haplorchis pumilio (Looss, 1896); Heterophyidae gen. sp. (= Haplorchoides sp. of Scholz and Vargas-Vázquez, 1998); *Phocitremoides ovale Martin, 1950; and *Pygidiopsis pindoramensis (Travassos, 1929). Two of the above-listed species, C. formosanus and H. pumilio, have been introduced recently to Mexico, most probably from Asia with the imported thiarid snail Melanoides tuberculata (Müller). Metacercariae of heterophyid trematodes are among the most frequent and abundant parasites offish in Mexico, in particular in its southeastern part. |
