Metagonimus miyatai sp. nov. (Digenea: Heterophyidae), a new intestinal trematode transmitted by freshwater fishes in Japan and Korea

Metagonimus miyatai n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) is described based on adult flukes collected from experimental dogs and hamsters fed with metacercariae encysted in the sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, dace, tribolodon hakonensis and T. taczanowskii, common fat-minnow, Morocco steindachneri, pale chub, Zacco platypus, and dark chub, Zacco temmincki, and on those collected from naturally infected humans. The new species was morphologically compared with M. yokogawai and M. takahashii obtained from experimental animals fed with the sweetfish and the crucian carp, Carassius carassius, respectively. The uterine loops of M. miyatai reached near the posterior end of the body through the space between the two testes, whereas those of M. yokogawai, occupied only the space between the acetabulum and anterior border of two testes. This uterine tubule distribution was similar to that of another closely related species, M. takahashii. However, vitellaria of M. miyatai ended in front of the posterior end of the left testis, while those of M. takahashii reached the posterior end of the left testis and ran it over. By raising M. miyatai as a new species, differentiation of M. yokogawai and M. takahashii became very clear. A key to the species of the genus Metagonimus in the Far East has been proposed.