Ю. В. Андрюшина, Д. М. Атопкин
Морской биологический журнал 2026; 11(3): 3-10
Morphological and molecular data were obtained for encysted metacercariae found in the digestive gland of a mollusc Hydrobia acuta from the Black Sea. Morphologically, these metacercariae correspond to the family Microphallidae and the genus Microphallus. Results of phylogenetic analyses based on partial 28S rDNA sequence data provide evidence for the fact that the metacercariae from H. acuta are closely related to Microphallus abortivus, with high statistical support. Our survey shows that M. abortivus completes its life cycle in the Black Sea, and gastropods H. acuta are used as the second intermediate hosts, while marine and coastal birds can serve as the definitive hosts. This study extends the range of M. abortivus to the Black Sea.
