Molecular and morphological characterization of the metacercariae of two species of diplostomid trematodes (Platyhelminthes, Digenea) in freshwater fishes of the Batalha River, Brazil

Author(s)

Pelegrini, Larissa Sbeghen ^[1] ; Giao, Thayana ^[2] ; Mirandola Dias Vieira, Diego Henrique ^[1] ; Muller, Maria Isabel ^{[3, 1]} ; da Silva, Reinaldo Jose ^[1] ; Perez-Ponce de Leon, Gerardo ^[4] ; de Azevedo, Rodney Kozlowiski ^[5] ; Abdallah, Vanessa Doro ^[5]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Botucatu, UNESP, Rua Prof Dr Antonio Celso Wagner Zanin, BR-18618970 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sagrado Coracao, Lab Ictioparasitol, Pesquisa & Posgrad, Rua Irma Arminda, 10-50, Janl Brasil, BR-17011160 Bauru, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ciencias Biol, Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Biol, Av Univ 3000, Mexico City 04510, DF - Mexico

^[5] Ctr Univ CESMAC, Programa Posgrad Anal Sistemas Ambientais, Maceio, Alagoas - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Parasitology Research; v. 118, n. 7, p. 2169-2182, JUL 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The Diplostomidae include a large group of flatworms with complex life cycles and are frequently found parasitizing the eyes and central nervous system of freshwater fishes. The morphological identification of the metacercariae at species level is not always possible. Thus, molecular tools have become essential to assist in the parasite species determination. This study was aimed at describing two diplostomid metacercariae found in freshwater fish in SAo Paulo, Brazil, based on morphological characters and in the genetic characterization of COI sequences. Our results showed that the two recognized taxa (Tylodelphys sp. and Diplostomidae gen. sp.) appear to be different from the species already described in South America. Tylodelphys sp. differs morphologically from Tylodelphys xenopi, T. mashonense, T. jenynsiae, and T. scheuringi. The metacercariae of T. clavata and T. conifera are smaller than Tylodelphys sp., while T. podicipina is larger than the metacercariae described here. The phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences yielded Tylodelphys sp. as the sister species of Tylodelphys sp. 4, a species reported from the brain of the eleotrid Gobiomorus maculatus in Oaxaca, Mexico. The metacercariae identified as Diplostomidae gen. sp. are morphologically different from the known diplostomid metacercariae and did not match with other diplostomid sequences available. Diplostomidae gen. sp. is recovered as the sister species of Diplostomum ardeae. Although the morphological evidence and the COI sequences differentiate the metacercariae found, the absence of adult specimens of both species precludes the specific designation. This is one of the first papers that use an integrative taxonomy approach to describe the species diversity of diplostomid trematodes in Brazil. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/12862-0 - Analysis of the Mixozoaries biodiversity (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) parasites of the dominant fish species from Batalha River, middle Tietê River, SP, Brazil through morphological, histological, ultrastructural and molecular characterization
• Grantee: Rodney Kozlowiski de Azevedo
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/23655-0 - Biodiversity of the metazoan parasites of the species of fishes that are predominant in the Batalha River, middle Tietê River, State of São Paulo, Brazil
• Grantee: Vanessa Doro Abdallah Kozlowiski
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/16546-3 - Systematic and distribution of myxosporeans of Potamotrygonidae (Elasmobranchii, Myliobatiformes) in Amazon, Platina and Parnaíba river basins.
• Grantee: Maria Isabel Muller
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate