Species Delimitation Based on MtDNA Genes Suggests the Occurrence of New Species of Mesocestoides in the Mediterranean Region

Overview

Journal Parasit Vectors

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Parasitology
Tropical Medicine

Date 2018 Dec 6

PMID 30514366

Citations 15

Authors

Antonio Varcasia

Daria Sanna

Marco Casu

Samia Lahmar

Giorgia Dessi

Anna Paola Pipia

Claudia Tamponi

Gabriella Gaglio

Gabriela Hrckova

Domenico Otranto

Antonio Scala

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study is the first contribution to the molecular taxonomy of Mesocestoides spp. from domestic and wild carnivores in the Mediterranean area. A total of 13 adult worms and 13 larval stages of Mesocestoides spp. were collected from domestic and wild carnivore hosts in Italy and Tunisia. Samples collected in the Slovak Republic were used as comparative samples from outside the Mediterranean. The genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) of the mitochondrial genome were used as molecular markers to investigate the presence of cryptic Mesocestoides species in the area analysed.

Results: Results were consistent in showing three well-supported clusters of Mesocestoides spp. in southern Italy and Tunisia, which were strongly divergent from Mesocestoides litteratus, M. corti and M. lineatus. High levels of genetic variation and no evidence of geographical structuring was found between the clusters.

Conclusions: Considering the low dispersal capability of the intermediate hosts of Mesocestoides spp., the lack of geographical structuring among the Mediterranean regions could be due to a high potential for dispersion of the definitive hosts. This study provides a foundation for future formal descriptions of new species of the genus Mesocestoides in the Mediterranean area.

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