Occurrence and morphological comparisons of Campula oblonga (Digenea: Campulidae), including a report from an atypical host, the thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus.

ABSTRACT

New host records for Campula oblonga Cobbold, 1858 from the common dolphin, Delphinus delphis L., and from the thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre), are reported herein. Campulids have not been reported previously from a host that was not a marine mammal. The excellent condition and small size of the gravid specimen and the diet and natural history of the thresher shark lead us to conclude that the digene was acquired from the consumption of infected fish. Specimens of C. oblonga from these 2 hosts and from harbor porpoises, Phocoena phocoena (L.), and from Dall's porpoises, Phocoenoides dalli (True), are compared, and a wide variation in ranges and values for characters is noted. The synonymy of Campula folium Ozaki, 1935 with C. oblonga is further supported by the apparent effect of the host on the size of the trematodes. Due to the degree of variation in measurements and the numerous factors that may impact these values, we recommend the use of qualitative morphologic characters for the identification of C. oblonga.