A Fish Trematode Vitellibaculum Identified in the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Little Gull (Larus minutus): The First Report of Trematode from Iran

Vitellibaculum, which belong to the subfamily Megasoleninae within the family Haploporidae, are typically parasites of marine fish. This trematode has been reported from different regions of the world. The Little Gull (Larus minutus), a migratory bird common in the coastal regions of Iran, was the subject of this study. A dead bird found by the Environmental Protection Agency in Babolsar was referred to the laboratory of the Department of Parasitology of the Science and Research branch of the Islamic Azad University. After necropsy and sampling of the intestinal contents, a single trematode was identified. After staining and slide preparation, it was identified as Vitellibaculum and registered in the National Parasitology Museum of Tehran University.