Occurrence of Isopods in Two Species of Snappers (Lutjanidae) from Northeast Brazil

Parasitic isopod species are poorly known in the northeastern coast of Brazil. In this sense, this study presents novel records of Isopoda of the families Aegidae, Cymothoidae, and Corallanidae. A total 69 specimens of Lutjanus analis and 19 of Lutjanus jocu, of which 46 isopods from 3 different species were collected, i.e. Rocinela signata, Cymothoa excisa, and Excorallana richardsoni. The species R. siganata and E. richardsoni are reported for the first time in L. jocu. A significant relationship between the parasite R. signata and the size of the fish L. jocu was also observed. The isopod C. excisa is considered an incidental finding in L. analis. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of this species in fish from Brazil. The three species of isopods are new occurrences in the State of Sergipe, northeast region of the country. An additional morphological characteristic observed in the dorsal setae of pleotelson in specimens of E. richardsoni was that one end of this structure wws bifid. This information contributes to the current body of knowledge of the morphology of this particular species

Diversity, specificity and speciation in larval Diplostomidae (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) in the eyes of freshwater fish, as revealed by DNA barcodes

Larvae (metacercariae) in some species of Diplostomidae (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) inhabit fish eyes and are difficult to identify to species based on morphology. DNA barcoding has clarified the diversity and life cycles of diplostomids in North America, Europe and Africa, but has seldom been used in parasites sampled in large numbers or at large spatial scales. Here, distance-based analysis of cytochrome c oxidase 1 barcodes and, in some specimens, internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1, 5.8S, ITS-2) sequences was performed for over 2000 diplostomids from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas. Fifty-two species of Diplostomum, Tylodelphys and Austrodiplostomum (Digenea: Diplostomidae) were distinguished. The 52 species comprise 12 identified species, six species in two species complexes and 34 putative species, and 33/52 had been delineated in previous studies. Most (23/40) of the unidentified, putative species distinguished by cytochrome c oxidase 1 distances were supported by at least one additional line of evidence. As the intensity of sampling of the 52 species increased, variation in cytochrome c oxidase 1 decreased between and increased within species, while the spatial scale at which species were sampled had no effect. Nonetheless, variation between species always exceeded variation within species. New life-cycle linkages, geographic and host records, and genetic data were recorded in several species, including Tylodelphys jenynsiae, Tylodelphys immer and Diplostomum ardeae. Species of Diplostomum inhabiting the lens are less host-specific and less numerous than those infecting other tissues, suggesting that reduced immune activity in the lens has influenced rates of speciation. (C) 2015 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.</p

Alirocumab and cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome

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Alirocumab and Cardiovascular Outcomes after Acute Coronary Syndrome

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