Maritrema is a genusoftrematodes (flukes) in the family Microphallidae, although some have suggested its placement in the separate family Maritrematidae.[1] It was first described by Nikoll in 1907 from birds in Britain.[2] Species of the genus usually infect birds, but several have switched hosts and are found in mammals, such as the marsh rice rat.[3] Several species use the fiddler crab Uca pugilator as an intermediate host.[4]
| Maritrema | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Class: | Trematoda |
| Order: | Plagiorchiida |
| Family: | Microphallidae |
| Subfamily: | Maritrematinae |
| Genus: | Maritrema Nikoll, 1907 |
| Type species | |
| Maritrema gratiosum Nikoll, 1907 | |
| Species | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Species include:
An undescribed species, "Maritrema sp. I", is known from clapper rails (Rallus crepitans) and marsh rice rats (Oryzomys palustris) in the eastern United States.[4] M. heardi was placed in a separate genus Floridatrema upon its description in 1994 on the basis of a morphological difference, but was reassigned to Maritrema in 2005, as molecular data indicated that Maritrema would be paraphyletic without the inclusion of the species.[1]
