Research Notes: Scaphanocephalus Expansus (Crepl.), A Trematode Of The Osprey, In North America

Examination of an osprey, Pandion haliaetus carolinensis furnished by Mr. Melvin Hoffman, Strawberry Point, Iowa, May, 1948, revealed about 30 trematodes which proved to be Scaphanocephalus expanses (Crepl.). This species which was redescribed in detail by Jagerskiold, (1904; Results of the Swed. Zool. Exped. Egypt and White Nile 1901 pt. 1) has a very large expanded flap-like anterior end and, to my knowledge, resembles no other trematode in that respect. The specimens have been deposited in the U. S. Nat\u27l Mus. Helm. Coll. as No. 46437. Mr. Allen McIntosh (personal communication) has informed me that S. expanses has been recorded from the British Isles, Gulf of Suez, Egypt, and apparently other places in Europe and Asia. The present record extends its range to North America. Several specimens of Neodiplostomum sp. were also recovered from the same osprey. It was impossible to identify these specifically because they had partially disintegrated. Neodiplostomum tytense Patwardhan, 1935, has been recorded from the osprey in India. I wish to thank Allen McIntosh of the U. S. Bureau of Animal Industry and Dr. Ben Dawes of King\u27s College, London, for assistance with host records and taxonomy