Molecular evidence for resurrection of 'Plesiochorus elongatus' (Digenea : Gorgoderidae) : an urinary bladder parasite of sea turtles

Trematodes of the genus Plesiochorus were recovered from the urinary bladder of a stranded female adult loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, on a beach in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Morphological analysis of the specimens revealed characteristics resembling the sub-species Plesiochorus cymbiformis elongatus rather than the recently synonymised Plesiochorus cymbiformis. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the ITS2 region also showed that P. c. elongatus was distinct from P. cymbiformis and related taxa. Further analysis of the ITS2 revealed substantial differentiation between P. cymbiformis from the USA and Brazil and the newly sequenced P. c. elongatus from Brazil, while a previously unspecified Plesiochorus sp. from the USA closely related to the novel Brazilian P. c. elongatus was reconciled as a USA isolate of P. c. elongatus. Based on both the morphological and molecular data it is suggested that P. c. elongatus should be referred to as Plesiochorus elongatus and be considered as the second species in the genus

Spirorchiids (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) infecting a Hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata (Linnaeus 1758) from Brazil

Relata-se a ocorrência de Amphiorchis caborojoensis Fischthal & Acholonu 1976 e Carettacola stunkardi Martin e Bamberger 1952, em um exemplar juvenil de tartaruga marinha de pente Eretmochelys imbricata Linnaeus 1758 no Brasil. Foram coletados cinco trematódeos da espécie A. caborojoensis, dois no intestino delgado e três no fígado e dois exemplares adultos de C. stunkardi no lavado corporal. Destes apenas a espécie A. caborojoensis já tinha sido relatada como parasita dessa espécie de quelônio marinho. Esta é a primeira descrição de parasitas em E. imbricata em águas brasileiras e na área do Atlântico Sul Ocidental, e o segundo relato de membros da família Spirorchiidae na mesma região.The occurrence of Amphiorchis caborojoensis Fischthal & Acholonu 1976 and Carettacola stunkardi Martin & Bamberger 1952 in a young specimen of Hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata Linnaeus 1758 in Brazil was reported. Five A. caborojoensis trematodes were found in the small intestine (n=2) and liver (n=3), and two adult C. stunkardi specimens were collected from body wash. This is the first report of parasites of E. imbricata in Brazilian waters and Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and the second report of members of the Spirorchiidae family in that region. In addition, E. imbricata is a new host recorded for C. stunkardi.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP