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Phylogenetic position of the Neotropical Family Zonocotylidae (Paramphistomoidea) using partial 28S rDNA sequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2023

M.M. Montes*
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y Vectores (CEPAVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CCT, CONICET-UNLP-CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
F.K. Arrascaeta
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y Vectores (CEPAVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CCT, CONICET-UNLP-CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
J.A. Barneche
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y Vectores (CEPAVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CCT, CONICET-UNLP-CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
D. Balcazar
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y Vectores (CEPAVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CCT, CONICET-UNLP-CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
G.F. Reig Cardarella
Affiliation:
Escuela de Tecnología Médica y Centro Integrativo de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA). Universidad Bernardo O’ Higgins, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
S.R. Martorelli
Affiliation:
Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y Vectores (CEPAVE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CCT, CONICET-UNLP-CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
*
Corresponding author: M.M. Montes; Email: martinmiguelmontes@gmail.com
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Abstract

Six families belonging to the Paramphistomoidea superfamily have been reported in South America, with only Zonocotylidae and Balanorchiidae being endemic. The Zonocotylidae was initially classified as Aspidogastrea and then as a paramphistomoid. This family comprises a single genus, Zononocotyle, with two species. It is primarily characterized by having an attachment organ with transverse ridges and a single testis. The placement of Zonocotylidae within Paramphistomoidea is controversial, as some researchers speculate that this genus is the most primitive member of the superfamily, while others consider it an aberrant form. The main objectives of our study were to provide the first sequences of Zonocotylidae and elucidate its phylogenetic position. We amplified the 28S gene from two parasites from Cyphocharax sp. from Punta Lara, Buenos Aires. Newly generated sequences were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships with other Paramphistomoidea species using a Bayesian approach. Zonocotylidae were clustered with Dadayiinae and Kalitrematinae (Cladorchiidae) species found in freshwater fishes from South America. Genetic analyses revealed that they formed a well-supported clade with cladorchiids in freshwater hosts from South America. However, the occurrence of genera of Cladorchiidae in North America, Middle America, Asia, and Australia suggested its polyphyletic nature and may indicate the need for the erection of new families. Other Paramphistomoidea families may also require further revision. The addition of new sequences to phylogenetic analyses along with a comprehensive and more detailed description of the genera will help resolve the relationships within this group.

Information

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Figure 1.Phylogram resulting from Bayesian Inference (20,000,000 generations) of partial 28S rDNA gene sequences showing the relationships of Zonocotyle bicaecata Travassos, 1948 with other Paramphistomoidea genera. Branch support values indicate posterior probabilities. Abbreviations: A=Africa; A-M=Aquatic mammals; Cla=Family Cladorchidae; Clad=Subfamily Cladorchinae; Da=subfamily Dadayiinae; Di=Family Diplodiscidae; EU=Europe; Fish*=Brackish or marine fishes; Fish**=Freshwater fishes; G=Family Gastrothylacidae; Ga=Family Gastrodiscidae; He=Subfamily Helostomatinae; Ka=subfamily Kalitrematinae; MA=Middle America; Me=Family Mesometridae; Mi=Family Microscaphidiidae; NA=North America; OC=Oceania; Ol=Family Oliveriidae; Ort=Subfamily Orthocoeliinae; Pa=Family Paramphitomidae; Par=Subfamily Paramphitominae; SA=South America; SA-M=Semi-aquatic mammals; Sch=Subfamily Schizamphistominae; So=Subfamily Solenorchiinae; T-M=Terrestrial mammals; Zo=Family Zonocotylidae; Zy=Family Zygocotylidae; Column 1=Family, 2=Subfamily (if applicable); 3=Host; 4=Continent.

Figure 1

Table 1.Genetic divergence among paramphistomoid species closest to Zonocotyle bicaecata (in bold) in the phylogenetic tree and estimated through uncorrected p-distances (in percentage) for the 28S rDNA gene dataset

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