• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.627-639
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• 2015

Metagonimus yokogawai (Katsurada, 1912) Katsurada, 1912 (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) is parasitic in the small intestine of mammals including man and birds in Far Eastern Russia, Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. In the present study, the metacercariae and adults of M. yokogawai were redescribed to designate a neotype of this fluke together with reviews of previous studies including study histories from the first discovery to now. We particularly, attempted to review the study histories and morphological descriptions of M. yokogawai for the species validity, and compared with the morphological characteristics and life cycles of the closely related species, Metagonimus takahashii and Metagonimus miyatai. Finally, we proposed a differential key for the 8 known Metagonimus species distributed in East Asia. Metacercariae were obtained from the body muscles of sweetfish (Plecoglossus altivelis) collected in the Asahi River at Takebe-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Adults were recovered from the small intestine of Syrian golden hamsters, to which the metacercariae had been fed 14 days before. A neotype was selected out of the present adult specimens. The Asahi River at Takebo-cho became the type locality of M. yokogawai. In conclusion, the present review shows that M. yokogawai, M. takahashii, and M. miyatai are valid and discriminated by means of morphological characteristics.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 1991

A numerical taxonomy was studied on a group of heterophyid trematodes and analysis was made on the following species: Metagonimus yokogawai (3 OTU, Operational Taxonomic Unit) , Metagcnimus Miyata Type (3 OTU), Metagonimus takahashii (2 OTU), Heterophyes dispar (2 OTU), Heterephyes heterophyes (1 OTU), Heterophyes nocens (2 OTV), Heterophyopsis continua (1 OTU), Pygidiopsis summa (3 OTU), Stellantchasmus falcatus (2 OTU) and Stictodora sari (2 OTU). Twenty-six morphological characters were measured and their values were expressed as relative ratios. Similarity and correlation matrix among each individuals were calculated. Clustering analysis by Ward's method and factor analysis were performed using the SAS (Statistical Analysis System) package. As a results, the groups belonging to the genus of Metegenimus were divided into three phonons (Awetegonimus yokogawai, Metegcnimus Miyata Type, M. takahashii) , and Metagonimus Miyata Type was classified as the level of subspecies of M. takahashii. The groups belonging to the genus Heterophyes were clearly divided into three phonons (Heterophyes dispar, H. heterephyes, H. nocens), and H. nccens was classified as not a subspecies level of H. heterophyes but a distinct species. Other species were classified as distinct phonons. From these results, the appllcr lion of numerical taxonomy on trematode classification is considered to be a great aid to determine the limit of taxa.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.237-241
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• 1999

In order to analyze chromosome numbers and karyotypes of intestinal trematodes belonging to the genus, Metagonimus, the gonad tissues of M. takahashii, M. miyatai, and M. yokogawai were prepared and examined. The number of bivalents in the first meiotic division of M. takahashii was nine (n＝9). The diploid number of M. miyatai was observed to be eighteen (2n＝18) and their chromosomes consisted of one pair of metacentric, 7 pairs of submetacentric, and one pair of telocentric chromosomes. The diploid number of M. yokogawai was thirty-two (2n＝32) and the chromosome complements were composed of two pairs of metacentric, 11 pairs of submetacentric, and three pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes. These results could be a supporting evidence for the validity of the new species, M. miyatai, distinct from M. yokogawai.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.223-232
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• 1997

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 sweetflsh and the crucian carp, Cnrossius caressius, 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. takahcshii 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.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.129-135
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• 2004

We compared the DNA sequences of the genus Metagonimus: M. yokogawai, M. takahashii, and M. miyatai. We obtained 288 D1 ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) fragments from the adult worms by PCR, that were cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from the nucleotide sequences of the 28S D1 rDNA and mtCOI gene. M. takahashii and M. yokogawai are placed in the same clade supported by DNA sequence and phylogenie tree analysis in 28S D1 rDNA and mtCOI gene region. The above findings tell us that M. takahashii is closer to M. yokogawai than to M. miyatai genetically. This phylogenetic data also support the nomination of M. miyatai as a separate species.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.215-222
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• 1994

The relationship between the intestinal histopathology and number and position of' intraepithelial Iymphocytes(IEL) was observed chronologically in the small intestine of rats experimentally infected wiH Metagonimw vokogawci. Fifteen Sprague-Dawley rats were orally infected each with 3,000 metacercariae, and 3 were kept uninfected for controls. Three rats each were sacrificed on the day 5, 10, 15, 24 and 70 post-infection (PI) and samples of the small intestine, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cia and 70 cm posterior to the pylonls were taken. The samples were processed routinely and stained with Giemsa. The intestinal histopathology was severe during the day 5-15 PI and characterized by villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, and decrease of villus/ciypt height ratio. After the day 24 PI, the intestinal lesions showed some tendency of recovery The number of IEL increased at the early stage of infection, but decreased thereafter to a lower level than that of controls, with progression of the pathological changes. Then, the IEL number began to increase again after the day 24 PI. In control rats, the great majority of the IEL were located at the basal region of the epithelium. During the early stage of infection, however, a considerable proportion of IEL was found to have moved to the intermediate or apical region of the epithelium. From the above results, it is suggested that the change of IEL number and position during the course of M. yokogowoi infection should be closely related to the progression and recovery of the intestinal histopathology.