First record of the invasive American tapeworm Ophiotaenia saphena (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) in the Tokyo daruma pond frog Pelophylax porosus porosus in Japan

Abstract

Adult proteocephalid tapeworms of the genus Ophiotaenia (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) were recovered from the endemic Japanese amphibian species, Pelophylax porosus porosus (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Tochigi, Japan. As a result of molecular analyses based on the 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I genes, these worms were identified as Ophiotaenia saphena , a species native to North America. Their morphological features were also consistent with those of O. saphena . This species is presumed to have been introduced into Japan with the American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus (Ranidae). This study presents the first record of O. saphena in Japan and documents a new host record for this species.