• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.125-131
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• 2000

This paper deals with the morphology and taxonomy of the first reported species of echinostome belonging to the genus Himasthla Dietz, 1909, found from dunlins (Calidris alpina sakhalina) in Korea. Birds were captured with mist-nets at the tidal flat of Yeochari, Kanghwa-gun, Kyunggi-do, Korea. The worms were removed from avian intestines in physiological saline, fixed, acetocarmine stained and observed. Himasthla kusasigi Yamaguti, which was found in 1939, was characterized morphologically by a long and slender body (5.27 mm in length), besetting with spines and reniform head collar (0.27 mm) in a form of a single and uninterrupted row of 31 spines. The oral sucker (0.057$\times$0.0684 mm) is smaller than the ventral sucker (0.35$\times$0.29 mm). The ventral sucker was close to the anterior extremity of the body. The worm had two elliptical testes (anterior 0.47$\times$0.30 mm, posterior 0.59$\times$0.27 mm). The testes were close to the posterior end of the body. The uterus was very long, winding and extending through at least two thirds of the body length. The ovary (0.13$\times$0.14mm) was round and small. Below the ovary, a round and small seminal receptacle was found.