Diversity of diplozoid species (Monogenea, Diplozoidae) parasitizing the gills of endemic cyprinids from Mediterranean area
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| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | The Mediterranean area is known for its exceptional endemic fauna including cyprinid species. Endemic cyprinids represent one of the most diverse freshwater fish groups in this area, but knowledge of their parasitofauna is very limited. In this study, a total of 125 endemic cyprinid species were investigated in 2014 – 2017 for the presence of diplozoid monogeneans parasitizing the gills of cyprinids in the selected areas of Mediterranean. Identification of diplozoid species was performed using morphological analysis of the attachment apparatus and molecular analysis using ITS2 region. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial ITS2 together with morphological data revealed five species of Paradiplozoon. Paradiplozoon homoion, common parasite of several species of cyprinids in Central Europe, was the most abundant species in endemic cyprinids of Mediterranean. This study provides new records of host species for P. homoion – 12 from localities in Balkan Peninsula, e.g. Chondrostoma knerii, Scardinius plotizza or Telestes beoticus and 5 from the localities in Spain, e.g. Parachondrostoma miegii or Squalius laietanus. Paradiplozoon megan is known as a parasite of Squalius and Leuciscus in Central Europe. We determined P. megan on Squalius zrmanjae and S. squalus from Croa- tia and S. lucumonis, S. squalus, Protochondrostoma genei and Rutilus rubilio from Italy. In addition, we found three species of Paradiplozoon representing potentially new species for science. Paradiplozoon sp. 1 parasitized Scardinius acarnanicus and Tropidophoxinellus hellenicus from Greece. This species is phylogenetically closely related to P. megan. Paradiplozoon sp. 2 was recorded on 9 species of different genera of cyprinids in Iberian Peninsula, i.e. Iberochondrostoma, Parachondrostoma, Pseudochondrostoma, Luciobarbus and Squalius. This species is phylogenetically related with P. pavlovskii. Paradiplozoon sp. 3 was reported only on Moroccan Luciobarbus lepineyi. This species is phylogenetically closely related to P. bingolensis from Garra rufa (Turkey). |
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