Invasion of fish parasite Prosorhynchoides ozakii (Trematoda: Bucephalidae) into Lake Kasumigaura and surrounding rivers of eastern Japan

In 2019 to 2021, the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei and several freshwater fishes were sampled from 22 sites of the Tone River system including Lake Kasumigaura, Honshu, Japan, to examine the invasion of bucephalid trematodes. The parasite species identification was performed by morphological observation and DNA barcoding based on the sequences of nuclear 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1). A total of 1719 mussels were collected from 10 sites, and trematode-infected mussels were detected from 8 sites with prevalences between 0.3 and 42.9%. The sporocysts and cercariae were identified as Prosorhynchoides ozakii, a newly introduced species in the river system. A total of 700 fish individuals belonging to 24 species were collected from 15 sites. Two species of catfishes (Silurus asotus and Ictalurus punctatus) harbored mature or immature adults of Pr. ozakii in the intestine with prevalences between 8.3 and 20% including both host species. The metacercariae of Pr. ozakii were found from the fins and epidermis of 13 fish species from 10 sites (prevalence 4.8-100%). Fishes were heavily infected with metacercariae in fins, which were surrounded by the infiltration of hemocytes and rodlet cells. A population genetic analysis of Pr. ozakii did not show an obvious bottleneck, suggesting the possibility that the parasite was intentionally and repeatedly introduced into the river system.

Automated summary

This study investigated the invasion of bucephalid trematodes in the Tone River system in Japan, focusing on the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei and several freshwater fish species. The newly introduced species Prosorhynchoides ozakii was found in both mussels and fishes, causing infections and potential impacts on the hosts. The genetic analysis suggests intentional and repeated introductions of the parasite into the river system.