Morphological description of infective larval stage of Physaloptera (Spirurida: Physalopteridae), and histological lesions in the paratenic host Leptodactylus macrosternum (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Caatinga biome, Brazil

The present study aimed to describe the infective larval stage of Physaloptera sp. parasitizing Leptodactylus macrosternum and microscopic lesions these larvae in stomach wall. Forty-five specimens L. were collected during rainy season May 2018, municipality Petrolina, sub-middle São Francisco region, state Pernambuco, Brazil. Twenty-seven (L3) attached mucosa 11 (24.4%) macrosternum. No other stages (L4) or adult was found among necropsied hosts. stomach’s L3 attachment site showed macroscopic histological such as hyperaemic ulcerated sites, mucous tunic necrotic regions, inflammatory infiltrate eosinophilic. This is first morphological macrosternum, record this paratenic host Caatinga biome. Additionally, it also histopathological caused by species.