First record of Troglotrema acutum (Trematoda: Troglotrematidae) from a pine marten Martes martes in Germany

We examined 438 fresh skulls of pine marten (Martes martes) from Germany to check for the presence of the cranial trematodeTroglotrema acutum. The parasite was detected in the frontal sinuses of one 3-year-old road-killed male from the Rhoen Mountains (Thuringia). We detected 19 adultT. acutum and 34 eggs. The infested pine martens showed no deformations or lesions of the skull. This is the first time that specimens of the trematode were recovered from a pine marten from Germany, but the low prevalence of 0.23% confirms that the pine marten is only a rare host ofT. acutum.
Source: Journal of Parasitic Diseases - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research