%0 Journal Article
%T Paramonostomum bubaki n. sp. (Digenea: Notocotylidae) from the Black Coot, Fulica atra (Gruiformes: Rallidae), in South Central Pakistan
%A Nadir Ali Birmani
%A Ali Murtaza Dharejo
%A Shagufta Naz
%A Muhammad Munif Khan
%A Abdul Manan Shaikh
%J ISRN Zoology
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/656050
%X During a helminthological survey of black coot, Fulica atra (Gruiformes: Rallidae), in Sindh Province of Pakistan, eight specimens of undescribed species of trematode belonging to genus Paramonostomum L¨¹he, 1909 were recovered from large intestine of the single host bird. Paramonostomum bubaki n. sp. differs from its congeners except P. macrovesiculum Dharejo et al., 2006 by having less attenuated anterior end, a pharynx, a bifurcal genital pore, a longer posttesticular space, a Y-shaped excretory vesicle, number of uterine loops (16), and large size of filamentous eggs. P. bubaki n. sp. resembles P. macrovesiculum Dharejo et al., 2006 collected from Fulica atra from Pakistan by having a pharynx but differs in larger body, smaller esophagus, a bifurcal genital pore, shape of cirrus sac, seminal vesicle and gonads, ceca reaching posterior extremity, and a longer posttesticular space. 1. Introduction Pakistan exhibits a certain cohesion of physical geography and climate which has a great bearing upon the distribution and habits of its bird fauna. Pakistan gets a large number of migrant birds from Europe and Central Asian countries every year. Birds from the North spend winters in different wetlands and have also been found living in the manmade ponds in Pakistan [1]. These habitats provide favorable environment for breeding as well as the development of populations of snails, crustaceans, and insect fauna, which enhances likelihood of acquiring parasitic infection [2]. Reports of Paramonostomum species in Pakistan are limited to those of Dharejo et al. [2] and Bhutta and Khan [3]. Other trematodes reported from Fulica atra in Pakistan are Cotylurus sindhense Birmani et al., 2009 [4], Echinostoma atrae Birmani et al., 2008 [5], and Paramonostomum macrovesiculum Dharejo et al., 2006 [2]. Snail species Thiara riquetti, Hydrobia vulva, Hydrobia ventrosa, Hydrobia salsa, and Peringia ulvae have been reported to be an intermediate hosts in life cycle of Paramonostomum species [6]. Fulica atra, a migratory game bird, is a popular food item in Sindh Province. Therefore, the interest was developed to investigate this bird for the presence of helminth parasites. 2. Materials and Methods Live one hundred and one black coot, Fulica atra Linnaeus (Gruiformes: Rallidae), collected from different water bodies of Sindh Province, Pakistan, during winter season (2007¨C2010) were examined for endohelminths. Trematodes were put into 0.9% saline, relaxed in hot water, fixed under slight cover glass pressure in alcohol-formalin-acetic acid (AFA), stained with borax carmine,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.zoology/2013/656050/