Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 13. (Budapest, 1980)

Parasit Hung. 13. 1980. Revision of the Amphistomes of European Ruminants Dr. Ottó SEY Department of Zoology, College of Education, Pécs "Revision of the amphistomes of European ruminants" - Sey, O. - Parasit. Hung. _13. 13-25. 1980. ABSTRACT. Author analysed the possibility of the European occurrence of the following amphistomes, recovered from different ruminants: Paramphistomum cervi (Zeder, 1790); P. daubneyi Dinnik, 1962; P. gotoi Fukui, 1922; P. ichikawai Fukui, 1922; P. microbothrium Fischoeder, 1901; P. microbothrioides Price et Mcintosh, 1944 and Gastrothylax crumenifer (Creplin, 1847). A key to species and a parasite/ host check-list are appended. During the two hundred years of European rumen fluke research, the following species have been reported from different ruminants: Calicophoron ijimai Näsmark, 1937; Cotylophoron cotylophorum (Fischoeder, 1901); Gastrothylax crumenifer (Creplin, 1847); Orthocoelium (- Ceylonocotyle) scoliocoelium (Fischoeder, 1901); Paramphistomum both- riophoron (Braun, 1892); P. cervi (Zeder, 1790); P. clavula Näsmark, 1937; P. daubneyi Dinnik, 1962; P. gotoi Fukui, 1922; P. (Liorchis) hiberniae Willmott, 1950; P. ichikawai Fukui, 1922; P. leydeni Näsmark, 1937; P. microbothrium Fischoeder, 1901; P. micro bothrioides Price et Mcintosh, 1944 and P. (= Liorchis) scotiae Willmott, 1950. Depending on the interpretation of the various specific features, their authenticity, the profundity of the investigation, thereby the conception of the validity of the species resulted in divergent opinions concerning European species. FISCHOEDER (1903), who established the first scientific system of the amphistomes, could differentiate the species with reliable accuracy on the basis of their morphology and organology. LOOSS (1912) focused the attention to the role of the structure of certain organ systems (lymphatic, excretory and reproductive) which played a role in the diagnosis of the species. The classification of amphistomes based on these principles, however, could not be completed by LOOSS. MAPLESTONE (1923) discarded the characteristics proposed by LOOSS (1912) mainly from practical view points and gave preference to easily ascertainable anatomical features. By over-estimating the individual variations of certain organs he initiated subsequent authors for revisory work the influence of which is still detectable. NifCMARK (1937) attributed special importance to the histological structure of the muscular organs (pharynx, genital opening, acetabulum) which, seemingly, show much less individual variations than the anatomical ones. Principles elaborated by NASMARK (1937) are, no doubt, important contributions to the classification of amphistomes but they are not devoid of critical deliberation in certain details. Until recently the identification of paramphistomids in systematic works has been generally based on morphological pecularities and little attention paid to the particulars originating from the ontogenic cycle. Although the morphological ground is a fundamental basis of the taxonomy in paramphistomids, too, but the usage of such information as the genetic nature of the parasite/intermediate hosts' interaction as well as the ecological aspects of geographical distribution of these helminths seem to be useful argumentation in the diagnosis. All of these will be taken into account in this paper aiming at the clarification of the available species of the European rumen flukes.