Taxonomy of the cestodes Avitellina sudanea and A. centripunctata (Cyclophyllidea, Thysanosomatidae) parasitic in sheep and goats in India based on morphological and molecular evidence.
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Abstract
This study presents morphological, molecular and phylogenetic analyses of two species of the genus Avitellina, A. sudanea and A. centripunctata parasitic in sheep and goats and sampled in the region of the City of Chandigarh, North India. Three molecular markers were used: mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rDNA) and internal transcribed spacer 1-5.8S rRNA (ITS1-5.8S rDNA) genes. Morphological analysis revealed differences in key structures, including paruterine organ shape and testis arrangement. Molecular analysis revealed that A. sudanea showed no exact match but significant similarity with other species: A. lahorea and A. centripunctata, exhibiting 91.39% and 85.89-86.52% (SSU rDNA), 96.27 and 94.31% (cox1), 94.19 and 94.41% (ITS1-5.8S rDNA) sequence similarity, respectively. The Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic trees based on DNA sequences of SSU rRNA, cox1 and ITS1 placed these species in a separate clade, which was distinct from anoplocephalids (sensu stricto) and supported the thysanosomatids as a distinct taxon at the family level. The evolutionary divergence based on base substitution rates confirmed substantial interspecific genetic distinctions, with high divergence values of 0.12 (cox1), 0.25 (SSU rDNA) and 0.11 (ITS1-5.8S rDNA) between A. sudanea and A. centripunctata. This study provides the first molecular characterization of A. sudanea, confirming its genetic distinctiveness and taxonomic status as a valid species. Our findings highlight the necessity for more molecular studies on Avitellina tapeworms using robust genetic tools to ensure accurate taxonomic delineation within the genus.
期刊介绍：
Systematic Parasitology publishes papers on the systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature of the following groups: Nematoda (including plant-parasitic), Monogenea, Digenea, Cestoda, Acanthocephala, Aspidogastrea, Cestodaria, Arthropoda (parasitic copepods, hymenopterans, mites, ticks, etc.), Protozoa (parasitic groups), and parasitic genera in other groups, such as Mollusca, Turbelleria, etc. Systematic Parasitology publishes fully illustrated research papers, brief communications, and fully illustrated major revisions. In order to maintain high standards, all contributors describing new taxa are asked to state clearly where the holotype is deposited and to make paratypes available for examination by the referees. It is recognized that, in some cases, this may cause problems for the authors, but it is hoped that by adhering to this rule authors may be protected against rapid synonymy of their taxa, and the types will be preserved for posterity.
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