SPECIES IDENTIFICATION OF DIPLOSTOMUM-PSEUDOSPATHACEUM NIEWIADOMSKA, 1984 AND DIPLOSTOMUM-PARACAUDUM (ILES, 1959) METACERCARIAE USING DNA POLYMORPHISM AMPLIFIED BY ARBITRARY PRIMERS

Metacercariae of Diplostomum pseudospathaceum and D. paracaudum were e xamined for genetic differences by random amplified polymorphic DNA an alysis. Eleven different oligonucleotide decamers with arbitrary DNA s equence were tested as primers to amplify DNA from D. pseudospathaceum and D. paracaudum. Depending on the primer, the number of reproducibl e amplified fragments varied from 7 to 15, ranging in size from 0.2 to 2.0 kb DNA. Reproducible differences in patterns allowed differentiat ion of the two species with each primer, RAPD patterns unambiguously d iscriminated between D. pseudospathaceum and D. paracaudum, allowing g ood species identification.