Taxonomy and Biology of Phagicola nana (Digenea: Heterophyidae)

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Abstract
P. nana is resurrected from synonymy and redescribed based on syntypes from the arctic fox, Alopex lagopus, and adults from an experimental infection in the Virginia [USA] opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Natural definitive hosts include the great blue heron, Ardea herodias; least bittern, Ixobrychus exilis and possibly gannet, Morus bassanus. The Virginia opossum, northern raccoon, laboratory white mouse, Syrian hamster, and domestic chicken serve as experimental definitive hosts. Natural metacercarial infections by P. nana occurred in the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), bluegill (L. macrochirus), and orangespotted sunfish (L. humilis) collected in estuarine bayous and rivers of Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. Metacercariae caused minor histopathological alterations in fish hosts by inducing formation of fibrotic host capsules. They encysted primarily in sites already containing fibroblasts. P. nana may have broad host specificity for piscivorous birds and mammals inhabiting estuarine marshes. Moreover, humans probably may become infected with P. nana by ingesting raw or inadequately prepared centrarchid fishes.