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Zootaxa Oct 2023To date, 31 species assigned to the genus Pallisentis Van cleave, 1928 have been reported from India. The present study includes morphological and molecular descriptions...
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Two New and Two Already Known Species of the Genus Pallisentis (Acanthocephala: Quadrigyridae) from India with an Update in Key to the Species.
To date, 31 species assigned to the genus Pallisentis Van cleave, 1928 have been reported from India. The present study includes morphological and molecular descriptions of two new species of Pallisentis Van Cleave, 1928, namely P. himachalensis and P. longus from the fresh water fishes Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) and C. marulius (Hamilton, 1822), respectively, procured from Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, India. Of total 35 fishes, 17 were found infected with acanthocephalan parasites. The prevalence of infection was 42.85 and 52.38% for C. punctata and C. marulius, respectively. The morphological characters of P. himachalensis n. sp. include proboscis with 4 circles of hooks with 810 hooks per circle, which gradually decline in size. The trunk in male comprises 1516 circles of collar spines and 2737 circles of trunk spines ending above the anterior testis with syncytial cement gland having 2629 nuclei. The trunk in female comprises of 1418 circles of collar spines and 5573 circles of trunk spines present till the anterior end of reproductive system with additional 34 circles at the posterior end. P. longus n. sp. is the longest species reported in the genus and the length of female reach up to 44 mm. The proboscis comprises 4 circles of proboscis hooks with 910 hooks per circle. In males 1316 circles of the collar spines and 2731 circles of trunk spines are present with syncytial cement gland containing 2025 nuclei. The females are much longer with 1516 circles of collar spines and 6469 circles of trunk spines present till the posterior end. The study also reports two already described species: P. gomtii Gupta and Verma, 1980 from C. punctata and P. nandai Sarkar, 1953 from C. marulius. Total 12 sequences for 4 species have been generated based on 18S, 28S and ITS15.8SITS2 molecular markers. The 18S and ITS15.8SITS2 Bayesian inference trees generated in the present study showed distinct identities of all 4 species. Moreover, the Bayesian inference tree generated in the present study based on 18S showed the clustering of Pallisentis species in three different clades compared to the previous studies in which only two clades within the genus were reported. The molecular analysis showed the monophyletic origin of the genus Pallisentis and does not support subgeneric classification within the genus.
Topics: Female; Male; Animals; Acanthocephala; Bayes Theorem; Fish Diseases; Helminthiasis, Animal; Fishes; India
PubMed: 38221427
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5352.4.8 -
Journal of Helminthology Jan 2024The Australasian harrier , a native of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, is an opportunistic hunter of small prey, although a large part of its diet consists...
The Australasian harrier , a native of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, is an opportunistic hunter of small prey, although a large part of its diet consists of carrion, mainly from roadkill. Besides a record of a single, unnamed species of capillariid nematode there have been no investigations into the parasites of Australasian harriers in New Zealand. In this study, a helminthological survey of sixty-five deceased harriers from southern New Zealand uncovered a gastrointestinal helminth fauna consisting of six parasite species. (Nematoda) was previously described only from fragmented females, and a redescription is presented here. n. sp. (Nematoda) is described, and distinguished from its congeners by its slender body shape and shorter spicules. (Trematoda) is reported for the first time in New Zealand. (Cestoda) and (Acanthocephala) were previously described as new species elsewhere. An unnamed species of capillariid appears to be mainly confined to North Island and is rare in South Island. Prevalence and intensity metrics are given, and DNA sequences provided to accompany new re/descriptions. Potential intermediate hosts are discussed, and the origins of the helminths and their potential for pathogenicity are considered.
Topics: Female; Animals; New Zealand; Nematoda; Helminths; Birds; Acanthocephala; Trematoda; Cestoda; Spirurida
PubMed: 38213187
DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X23000883 -
Systematic Parasitology Jan 2024The acanthocephalan Moniliformis saudi Amin, Heckmann, Mohammed, Evans, 2016 was originally described from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg) in...
The acanthocephalan Moniliformis saudi Amin, Heckmann, Mohammed, Evans, 2016 was originally described from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg) in central Saudi Arabia. The distribution of P. aethiopicus extends to North Africa and west to Mauritania. Moniliformis saudi was recently found in the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet) in Malta. The distribution of A. algirus is restricted to the North African and east Iberian Mediterranean coast and associated islands. Both host species cohabit and share the same feeding grounds in northern Algeria where common infections appear to take place. The morphology of specimens from both acanthocephalan populations was similar, with minor variations mostly related to the relatively larger Maltese specimens especially the trunk and the male reproductive system. Taxonomic features like the cone-shaped anterior trunk, size and formula of proboscis and hooks, the receptacle, size and shape of eggs, anatomy of the apical proboscis sensory pores, and the stellate body wall giant nuclei were, however, practically identical. SEM and microscope images of specimens of the Maltese population emphasize their qualitative characteristics such as the degree of the extreme spiral muscle development and the development of the posterior nucleated pouches of the proboscis receptacle. Proboscis hooks of specimens from both the Maltese and the Saudi populations had similarly high levels (percent weights) of calcium, moderate levels of phosphorus, and minimal levels of sulfur, magnesium and sodium marking the diagnostic value of the Energy Dispersive x-ray analysis in species recognition. Newly generated partial sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) of the mitochondrial gene were generated from M. saudi from Malta. Moniliformis saudi from Malta, when compared with other available sequences of the same species isolates available in the GenBank database, formed a strongly supported clade with other congeners. The comparison of the molecular profiles of specimens from populations in Malta, Spain, and Saudi Arabia shows no or low genetic variation between them. Ultimately, we provide a morphological and molecular description of a new population of M. saudi from a new host species in a new geographical location, vastly exceeding the originally described ones from Saudi Arabia. A Cox 1 haplotype network inferred with 10 sequences revealed the presence of eight haplotypes, one of which was shared between the populations of Malta and Spain of M. saudi.
Topics: Animals; Male; Moniliformis; Acanthocephala; Hedgehogs; Malta; Saudi Arabia; Species Specificity
PubMed: 38194150
DOI: 10.1007/s11230-023-10128-x -
Folia Parasitologica Dec 2023Acanthocephalans are obligate endoparasites characterised by the presence of a proboscis with hooks, which are used to adhere and perforate the intestinal wall of their...
Acanthocephalans are obligate endoparasites characterised by the presence of a proboscis with hooks, which are used to adhere and perforate the intestinal wall of their hosts. Individuals of Echinorhynchus salobrensis Machado Filho, 1948 have been reported parasitising the piranhas Serrasalmus maculatus Kner and Serrasalmus marginatus Valenciennes in the upper Paraná River floodplain. Serrasalmus marginatus is considered non-native at this site, and its establishment occurred after the closure of the Itaipu Hydroelectric, which flooded a natural geographic barrier that separated two ecoregions in the Paraná River. Since they are phylogenetically close and have similar biological and ecological characteristics competition for resources caused the non-native species to become dominant over the native one. Considering the specificity of species of Echinorhynchus Zoega, 1776 in serrasalmids, we evaluated the distribution of E. salobrensis along the gastrointestinal tract of S. maculatus and S. marginatus from the upper Paraná River floodplain. All parasites indices of E. salobrensis were higher in the invasive host S. marginatus when compared to the native S. maculatus. There were no significant interaction effects between host species and sex, and host species and/or sex in the presence of the parasite. When we evaluated the effect of E. salobrensis parasitism on the different gut regions and accessory organs, total abundance was significant in the stomach and caecum organs, and in the first and second regions of the intestine. None of the analytical approaches tested showed an effect of the sex of the host or the sex of the parasite on the presence and abundance of the parasite in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies on acanthocephalan parasitism in fish in Brazil focus on fish farm. The fact that two species of selvage carnivorous fish present high rates of acanthocephalan parasitism, added to the fact that most studies with this group are on farmed fish fed with feed, only emphasise the need for continuity in studies of acanthocephalans in the parasitology of aquatic organisms.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Characiformes; Acanthocephala; Rivers; Parasites; Brazil
PubMed: 38168032
DOI: 10.14411/fp.2023.022 -
Folia Parasitologica Dec 2023During an ichthyoparasitological survey in 2017-2019, six species of acanthocephalans were found among Taiwan's freshwater (Cypriniformes: Xenocyprididae, Cyprinidae)...
During an ichthyoparasitological survey in 2017-2019, six species of acanthocephalans were found among Taiwan's freshwater (Cypriniformes: Xenocyprididae, Cyprinidae) and marine fishes (Scombriformes: Scombridae, Trichiuridae; Anabantiformes: Channidae; Carangaria/misc: Latidae): Micracanthorhynchina dakusuiensis (Harada, 1938), Rhadinorhynchus laterospinosus Amin, Heckmann et Ha, 2011, Pallisentis rexus Wongkham et Whitfield, 1999, Longicollum sp., Bolbosoma vasculosum (Rudolphi, 1819), and one new species, Micracanthorynchina brevelemniscus sp. n. All species are morphologically characterised and illustrated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The finding of R. laterospinosus, P. rexus and B. vasculosum is the first record for these species in Taiwan. Micracanthorhynchina brevelemniscus is similar to Micracanthorhynchina motomurai (Harada, 1935) and M. dakusuiensis in proboscis armature but differs from M. motomurai by larger eggs (53-59 × 15-16 µm vs 40 × 16 µm) and by the number of cement glands (6 vs 4) and from M. dakusuiensis by shorter body length (2.2-2.9 mm vs 4.0 mm in males and 2.9-4.1 mm vs 7.6 mm in females), by the location of the organs of the male reproductive system (from level of the posterior third of the proboscis receptacle in M. brevelemniscus vs in the posterior half of the trunk in M. dakusuiensis), and by length of lemnisci (lemnisci shorter than the proboscis receptacle vs lemnisci longer than the proboscis receptacle). Phylogenetic analyses of almost complete 18S rRNA gene revealed paraphyly of the family Rhadinorhynchidae suggested in previous studies. Micracanthorhynchina dakusuiensis and M. brevelemniscus formed a strongly supported cluster, which formed the earliest diverging branch to the rest of the rhadinorhynchids and transvenids.
Topics: Animals; Female; Male; Phylogeny; Taiwan; Helminthiasis, Animal; Fish Diseases; Acanthocephala; Fishes; Perciformes; Cypriniformes
PubMed: 38167244
DOI: 10.14411/fp.2023.021 -
Annals of Parasitology 2023Acanthocephalans are grouped in a single phylum, having a cosmopolitan distribution and subdivided into several genera. Although species of this parasite genus have...
Acanthocephalans are grouped in a single phylum, having a cosmopolitan distribution and subdivided into several genera. Although species of this parasite genus have birds and mammals as definitive hosts, they have been reported in amphibians and reptiles, and have been noted as paratenic hosts. In this study we report the record of Rhinella major as a new paratenic host for the Centrorhynchus sp. from an urban area of the Brazilian Amazon. In this study, for the morphometric measurements to take place, the parasitic specimens found were fixed and preserved in an alcoholic liquid medium and the identification of the parasites found were confirmed by specialized literature. The parasitological statistical parameters followed the proposed ecological concepts, calculating the parasite prevalence, intensity, average intensity and average abundance indices with confidence intervals. In the present study, two morphotypes of Acontochephala were found parasitizing R. major. In this study we report the record of R. major as a new paratenic host for the Centrorhynchus sp.
Topics: Animals; Anura; Brazil; Acanthocephala; Birds; Reptiles; Mammals
PubMed: 38164747
DOI: 10.17420/ap6902.512 -
Acta Parasitologica Mar 2024The aim of this article is to describe a new and unusual species of Neoechinoprhynchus Stiles & Hassall, 1905 from the Arabian Gulf coast off Iraq.
The Description of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from the Mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal Southern Iraq.
PURPOSE
The aim of this article is to describe a new and unusual species of Neoechinoprhynchus Stiles & Hassall, 1905 from the Arabian Gulf coast off Iraq.
METHODS
Routine methods for examination of fish hosts and recovery of acanthocephalean parasites were followed. Parasites were cleaned, relaxed overnight in refrigerated water then fixed in cold 70% ethanol. Standard procedure for staining, dehydration, clearing in xylene and mounting in Canada balsam was followed.
RESULTS
Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. is described from five whole-mounted specimens collected from the mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Oxudericidae) captured in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq in 2008. It is distinguished from other species of Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1905 by a combination of the following diagnostic characters: very small ellipsoid trunk with tapering posterior end and correspondingly small size organs; body wall with similar thickness dorso-ventrally; proboscis wider than long with long anterior hooks having prominent roots; hooks in second and third circles much smaller and rootless; receptacle 5-6 times as long as proboscis with a triangular cephalic ganglion at its base; no para-receptacle structure; lemnisci relatively long and equal, not reaching anterior testis; all male reproductive structures contiguous in posterior two-thirds of trunk; testes equatorial and much wider than long; anterior testis smaller than posterior testis; large syncytial cement gland with six giant nuclei; cement reservoir adjacent to anterior end of sperm vesicle adjacent to Saefftigen's pouch. No sexual dimorphism except that the trunk is more rounded in females than in males. The female reproductive system is about one-third as long as the trunk with the selective apparatus in two positions and uterine bell angulating ventrad. Female lemnisci are longer than in males. Comparisons with worldwide and North American-related species that have partially similar features are made.
CONCLUSIONS
The finding of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. with unusual small body and wide ellipsoid shape acanthocephalan is considered the first acanthocephalan species belonging to Neoechinorhynchus reported from Palearctic region compared to similar seven species reported only from Neotropical (three species), Nearctic regions (two species), far east (one species) and oriental (one species).
Topics: Animals; Fish Diseases; Helminthiasis, Animal; Acanthocephala; Male; Iraq; Female; Perciformes
PubMed: 38159165
DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00761-3 -
Journal of Helminthology Dec 2023Of the total 47 species in the subgenus 43 have been reported from the freshwater fishes of Asia. Amin . (2017) provided a key to the 23 species of the genus reported...
Of the total 47 species in the subgenus 43 have been reported from the freshwater fishes of Asia. Amin . (2017) provided a key to the 23 species of the genus reported from the Indian subcontinent. The present study reports two new species: n. sp. and n. sp. from Hamilton and Hamilton, respectively, and two previously described species: Gupta and Jain, 1980 and Khan and Bilqees, 1990 from Hamilton and Hamilton, respectively. n. sp. comprises 3 circles of 6 proboscis hooks each. Trunk spines in n. sp are divided into two groups: anterior and posterior separated by unarmed region, which has not been previously reported in the subgenus. Anterior spines are present in 7-8 and 7-10 circles in females and males, respectively, whereas posterior spines are in 23-28 and 31-38 circles in males and females, respectively. n. sp. comprises 3 circles of 6-8 hooks each and a single set of trunk spines is present in n. sp., comprising 35-42 and 25-45 circles in males and females, respectively. All four species were also characterised based on the 18S, 28S, and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rRNA molecular markers. The Bayesian inference tree generated based on these markers showed distinct identities of all the species, with a significant molecular divergence, ranging from 3.2 to 53.6%.
Topics: Female; Male; Animals; Bayes Theorem; Fish Diseases; Helminthiasis, Animal; Acanthocephala; Fishes; Fresh Water; Cyprinidae; India
PubMed: 38130207
DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X23000846 -
Journal of Helminthology Dec 2023The Isthmosacanthidae acanthocephalan species of the genus are parasites of marine teleosts and an elasmobranch. In this study, n. sp. is described from the intestines...
The Isthmosacanthidae acanthocephalan species of the genus are parasites of marine teleosts and an elasmobranch. In this study, n. sp. is described from the intestines of four flatfish species (Paralichthyidae), namely and . from 10 oceanic sites in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Twenty sequences of the 'barcoding' region of cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene were obtained from 20 adults of n. sp. Additionally, five sequences of the barcoding region were obtained from five adults of rhadinorhynchid from . , . and one species of Haemulidae, from five oceanic sites from the GoM. Two phylogenetic approaches were followed: Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. In both phylogenetic reconstructions, the sequences of n. sp. were recovered as a monophyletic group within the genus and placed as a sister group to . . However, due to the lack of molecular data for species of the Isthmosacanthidae and Rhadinorhynchidea, these phylogenetic inferences must be taken with caution. n. sp. is the first species of described from Paralichthyidae flatfish species from marine waters of the Americas and from the GoM. Based on the barcoding data set analyzed, n. sp. appears to have high intraspecific genetic variation; thus, it is necessary to continue exploring the genetic diversity of this species to infer its intraspecific evolutionary patterns.
Topics: Animals; Acanthocephala; Flatfishes; Phylogeny; Gulf of Mexico; Bayes Theorem; Mexico
PubMed: 38073427
DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X23000822 -
Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2023Our hypothesis for this study was that annual and seasonal variations do not influence the structure of the component communities and the diversity of metazoan parasites...
Our hypothesis for this study was that annual and seasonal variations do not influence the structure of the component communities and the diversity of metazoan parasites of spinycheek sleeper (Eleotris pisonis) in the Amazon River, state of Amapá, Brazil. A total of 164 fish were collected between 2020 and 2021, from which 888 parasites were found. In 2020, five species of parasites were found (one Nematoda, one Digenea, one Acanthocephala, one Arachnida and one Crustacea); and in 2021, five species were also found (three Nematoda, one Digenea and one Crustacea). Larvae of Contracaecum sp. were the dominant taxon throughout the study. The parasite species richness and Brillouin diversity index were higher in 2021, without significant differences between seasonal periods. Some component communities of parasites showed differences between years and between seasonal periods. These facts do not support the hypothesis that such variables would not influence the component communities of the parasites. Lastly, this report provides the first records of Spirocamallanus inopinatus, Genarchella genarchella, Acari, Ergasilus sp., Neoechinorhynchus sp., larvae of Pseudoproleptus sp. and larvae of Contracaecum sp. in E. pisonis.
Topics: Animals; Parasites; Seasons; Brazil; Rivers; Perciformes; Acanthocephala; Larva; Copepoda; Trematoda; Ascaridoidea; Fish Diseases
PubMed: 38055437
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612023073