Morphological and molecular characterization of an enigmatic clinostomid trematode (Digenea: Clinostomidae) parasitic as metacercariae in the body cavity of freshwater fishes (Cichlidae) across Middle America

The family Clinostomidae Lühe, 1901 contains 29 species allocated to seven genera, of which Clinostomum Leidy, 1856 is the most diverse, with c. 14 valid species. The diversity of Clinostomum has been assessed, combining morphological and molecular data. The genetic library for species in this genus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of helminthology 2019-07, Vol.93 (4), p.461-474
Main Authors: Briosio-Aguilar, R., García-Varela, M., Hernández-Mena, D.I, Rubio-Godoy, M., Pérez-Ponce de León, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Animal morphology
Biodiversity
Birds
Body cavities
Cichlidae
Cichlids
Clinostomum
Ethanol
Fish
Freshwater
Freshwater fish
Freshwater fishes
Genera
Inland water environment
Mitochondrial DNA
Morphology
Parasites
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Research Paper
Species
Species diversity
Taxonomy
Worms
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Summary:The family Clinostomidae Lühe, 1901 contains 29 species allocated to seven genera, of which Clinostomum Leidy, 1856 is the most diverse, with c. 14 valid species. The diversity of Clinostomum has been assessed, combining morphological and molecular data. The genetic library for species in this genus has increased steadily, although there is little or no information for the other genera included in the family. Molecular phylogenetic relationships among the genera of clinostomids have not been assessed, and their classification is still based on morphological traits. The monotypic Ithyoclinostomum was described from a fish-eating bird in Brazil, and its metacercariae have been found in several locations in South America, parasitizing erythrinid freshwater fishes. We collected unusually large metacercariae from the body cavity of cichlids in several locations across Middle America. These metacercariae exhibited some resemblance to Ithyoclinostomum, although several differences prevent their inclusion in Ithyoclinostomum dimorphum, casting doubt on their taxonomic identification. The main objective of this paper was to characterize the metacercariae collected in cichlids using both morphology and molecular data from three molecular markers, and to assess the molecular phylogenetic relationships among the genera of Clinostomidae to establish the position of the newly generated sequences. We took a conservative position and tentatively placed the metacercariae as belonging to Ithyoclinostomum.
ISSN:0022-149X
1475-2697
DOI:10.1017/S0022149X18000445