Lee Heon Woo, Kim Hyeon-Cheol, Choe Seongjun, Park Bae-Keun
Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.
College of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea.
J Vet Sci. 2025 Mar;26(2):e12. doi: 10.4142/jvs.24325.
Species of the genus are acanthocephalan parasites widely distributed among fish-eating mammals and birds. However, their occurrence in pinnipeds within Korean waters has been rarely documented. Previously, only a single case involving in a spotted seal has been reported. Clarifying the presence and distribution of in Korean waters is essential for improving regional parasite surveillance and assessing related ecological and zoonotic risks.
The northern fur seal () inhabits the North Pacific and occasionally reaches Korean waters during its nonbreeding season. Despite this migratory presence, no acanthocephalan infections have been reported in this host in Korea. This study sought to fill that gap by examining a bycaught northern fur seal for intestinal parasites and characterizing the recovered acanthocephalans.
In 2013, a dead northern fur seal was recovered off Goseong-gun, East Sea, Korea. Acanthocephalans collected from the small intestine were examined using light microscopy, histology, and scanning electron microscopy. Morphological features were compared with existing descriptions.
Twenty-two specimens (3 males, 19 females) were identified as spp., exhibiting sexual dimorphism and typical proboscis hook arrangements (16-20 rows, 8-11 hooks/row). Genital spines were present only in males. Morphological similarities with , , and were noted, but species-level identification was inconclusive due to overlapping traits and lack of genetic data.
This first report of from a northern fur seal in Korea expands the known host and geographic range of the genus. The findings highlight the need for further morphological and molecular studies to better understand parasite diversity and potential zoonotic risks in Korean marine ecosystems.
属的物种是棘头虫寄生虫，广泛分布于食鱼的哺乳动物和鸟类中。然而，它们在韩国水域的鳍足类动物中的出现情况鲜有记录。此前，仅报道过一例斑海豹感染该属寄生虫的病例。明确韩国水域该属寄生虫的存在和分布对于加强区域寄生虫监测以及评估相关生态和人畜共患病风险至关重要。
北海狗栖息于北太平洋，在非繁殖季节偶尔会进入韩国水域。尽管有这种迁徙现象，但在韩国该宿主中尚未有棘头虫感染的报道。本研究旨在通过检查一只误捕的北海狗的肠道寄生虫并对回收的棘头虫进行特征描述来填补这一空白。
2013年，在韩国东海高城郡附近发现一只死亡的北海狗。从其小肠收集的棘头虫使用光学显微镜、组织学和扫描电子显微镜进行检查。将形态特征与现有描述进行比较。
22个标本（3只雄性，19只雌性）被鉴定为该属物种，表现出两性异形和典型的吻钩排列（16 - 20排，8 - 11个钩/排）。生殖棘仅存在于雄性中。注意到与其他几种属的形态相似性，但由于特征重叠且缺乏基因数据，物种水平的鉴定尚无定论。
韩国北海狗感染该属寄生虫的这一首次报告扩大了该属已知的宿主和地理范围。研究结果凸显了进一步开展形态学和分子研究以更好地了解韩国海洋生态系统中寄生虫多样性和潜在人畜共患病风险的必要性。
