Metacercariae of a North American digenean Posthodiplostomum cf. minimum centrarchi (Strigeiformes: Diplostomidae), have been reported from seven localities in Europe, with cysts recorded in the mesentery and internal organs of two invasive non-indigenous fishes (Lepomis gibbosus and Micropterus salmoides) from sites in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Portugal. Analysis of rDNA locus ITS1-ITS2-28S confirmed a closer relationship to the American Posthodiplostomum species than the common European species P. cuticola or P. brevicaudatum. Our data indicate limited potential of this parasite for switch to local fish fauna and confirm the occurrence at distant sites across Europe, suggesting that birds as definitive parasite hosts may play an important role for parasite dispersal. Further detailed studies are needed to confirm the actual means of introduction to Europe.

Department of Botany and Zoology Faculty of Science Masaryk University 611 37 Brno Czech Republic; Water Research Group Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management Potchefstroom Campus North West University 2520 Potchefstroom South Africa; Department of Biodiversity University of Limpopo 0727 Sovenga South Africa

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd 1000 Sofia Bulgaria

Institute of Vertebrate Biology Czech Academy of Sciences Květná 8 60365 Brno Czech Republic

MARE Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Campo Grande 1749 016 Lisboa Portugal

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Occurrence and effect of trematode metacercariae in two endangered killifishes from Greece