Redescription of Raillietiella mottae (Raillietiellidae: Pentastomida) a generalist parasite of insectivorous lizards: phenotypic plasticity revealed by molecular data

Autor(es)

da Silva, erica Gomes ; de Oliveira, Monique Celiao ; Brandao, Hiasmim Chaves ; Chaves, Rozzanna Esther Cavalcanti Reis de Figueiredo ; Monteiro, Sara Rikeley Paulino ; Koroiva, Ricardo ; Guedes, Thais Barreto ; Vasconcellos, Alexandre ; Almeida, Waltecio de Oliveira

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Parasitology Research; v. 123, n. 10, p. 8-pg., 2024-10-01.

Resumo

Pentastomida are lung parasites of a variety of hosts, mainly reptiles. Raillietiella is the genus with the largest number of species, whose taxonomic identification is still largely based on morphological data alone. In this classification, differences divide the genus into morphotypic groups. The Raillietiella parasites of insectivorous lizards, for example, are divided into "Group I" with species with hooks with sharp tips and "Group II" with posterior hooks with blunt tips. In the present work, we used molecular analysis to infer the morphological variation in hooks and size of specimens of Raillietiella mottae, parasites of several species of insectivorous lizards. Our results demonstrate that morphological differences comprise a phenotypic plasticity of a single species, whose variation is associated with host species, with females being larger and with hooks with blunt tips in nocturnal geckos and smaller ones with sharp tips in diurnal insectivorous lizards of different species, sizes, and habitats. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 22/09428-2 - Evolução e biogeografia da herpetofauna: padrões, processos e implicações para a conservação em cenário de mudanças ambientais e climáticas
• Beneficiário: Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Jovens Pesquisadores
• Processo FAPESP: 21/07161-6 - Evolução e biogeografia da herpetofauna: padrões, processos e implicações para a conservação em cenário de mudanças ambientais e climáticas
• Beneficiário: Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores