Isolation of sporocyst broodsacs of the genus Leucochloridium (Leucochloridiidae: Trematoda) from the intermediate host, Succinea lauta, in Japan.

Green- or brown-striped trematode sporocyst broodsacs typical of Leucochloridium infecting the ocular tentacles of a land snail, Succinea lauta, were collected in Abashiri, Hokkaido in northern Japan (N43 degrees 59', E144 degrees 14') in June of 2000 and 2001. The metacercariae isolated from the sporocyst broodsac were morphologically identified as Leucochloridium spp. (Leucoclhoridiidae Poche). This report is the first to describe evidential specimens of the sporocyst broodsac of the genus Leucochloridium Carus, 1835, infecting the intermediate host in Japan, suggesting that Leucochloridium spp. completes their life cycle in Hokkaido, Japan.