108 research outputs found

    Three members of Opisthomonorcheides Parukhin, 1966 (Digenea: Monorchiidae) from carangid fishes (Perciformes) from Indonesia, with a review of the genus

    Get PDF
    Three species of Opisthomonorcheides Parukhin, 1966 are reported for the first time from Indonesian waters: O. pampi (Wang, 1982) Liu, Peng, Gao, Fu, Wu, Lu, Gao & Xiao, 2010 and O. ovacutus (Mamaev, 1970) Machida, 2011 from Parastromateus niger (Bloch), and O. decapteri Parukhin, 1966 from Atule mate (Cuvier). Both O. pampi and O. ovacutus can now be considered widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, with earlier records of these species being from Fujian Province, China and Penang, Malaysia, respectively. We redescribe O. decapteri from one of its original hosts, Atule mate, off New Caledonia, and report this species from Jakarta Bay, Indonesia, extending its range throughout the Indian Ocean into the south-western Pacific. All three species possess a genital atrium that is long, sometimes very long, and a genital pore that is located in the forebody. This validates the interpretation that the original description was erroneous in reporting the genital pore in the hindbody, well posterior to the ventral sucker. These observations verify the synonymy of Retractomonorchis Madhavi, 1977 with Opisthomonorcheides. A major discrepancy between the species of Opisthomonorcheides is that some are described with the uterus entering the terminal organ laterally and some with it entering terminally; this feature needs further analysis. Based on the length of the genital atrium and the posterior extent of the vitellarium, the 27 species of Opisthomonorcheides considered valid can be divided into four groups. Among the 53 host records analysed, the families Carangidae (53% of records), Stromateidae (17%) and Serranidae (5.7%) are the most common; the reports are overwhelmingly from members of the Perciformes (91%), with further records in the Clupeiformes (5.7%), Gadiformes (1.9%) and Pleuronectiformes (1.9%). Two fish genera (Parastromateus Bleeker and Pampus Bonaparte) dominate the recorded hosts, with the black pomfret Parastromateus niger harbouring six species, the silver pomfret Pampus argenteus (Euphrasen) harbouring six, and the Chinese silver pomfret P. chinensis (Euphrasen) two. A host-parasite checklist is presented. We discuss the host-specificity of members of the genus, questioning some records such as that of O. decapteri in a deep-sea macrourid. We also comment on the morphological similarity, but phylogenetic distance, between the various Pomfret species, advancing the possibility that a series of host misidentifications has occurred. Sequences of the ITS2 rDNA gene generated for O. pampi and O. ovacutus are briefly discussed and molecular data are lodged in the GenBank database

    Molecular systematics of the digenean community parasitising the cerithiid gastropod Clypeomorus batillariaeformis Habe & Kusage on the Great Barrier Reef

    Get PDF
    A rich fauna of digenetic trematodes has been documented from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), yet little is known of the complex life-cycles of these parasites which occur in this diverse marine ecosystem. At Heron Island, a small coral cay at the southern end of the GBR, the intertidal marine gastropod Clypeomorus batillariaeformis Habe & Kusage (Cerithiidae) is especially abundant. This gastropod serves as an intermediate host for 12 trematode species utilising both fish and avian definitive hosts. However, 11 of these species have been characterised solely with morphological data. Between 2015 and 2018 we collected 4870C. batillariaeformis from Heron Island to recollect these species with the goal of using molecular data to resolve their phylogenetic placement. We found eight of the 12 previously known species and two new forms, bringing the total number of digenean species known to parasitise C. batillariaeformis to 14. The families of this trematode community now include the Atractotrematidae Yamaguti, 1939, Bivesiculidae Yamaguti, 1934, Cyathocotylidae Mühling, 1898, Hemiuridae Looss, 1899, Heterophyidae Leiper, 1909, Himasthlidae Odhner, 1910, Microphallidae Ward, 1901, and Renicolidae Dollfus, 1939. Molecular data (ITS and 28S rDNA) were generated for all trematode species, and the phylogenetic position of each species was determined. The digenean community parasitising C. batillariaeformis includes several common species, as well as multiple species which are uncommon to rare. Although most of those trematodes in the community which exploit fishes as definitive hosts have remained common, the composition of those which utilise birds appears to have shifted over time

    High-intensity cardiac infections of Phthinomita heinigerae n. sp. (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) in the orangelined cardinalfish, Taeniamia fucata (Cantor), off Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

    Get PDF
    We report a new species of aporocotylid trematode (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) from the heart of the orangelined cardinalfish, Taeniamia fucata (Cantor), from off Heron Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef. We used an integrated approach, analysing host distribution, morphology, and genetic data from the internal transcribed spacer 2 of the ribosomal DNA, to circumscribe Phthinomita heinigerae n. sp. This is the first species of Phthinomita Nolan & Cribb, 2006 reported from the Apogonidae; existing species and known 'types' are recorded from species of the Labridae, Mullidae, and Siganidae. The new species is distinguished from its 11 congeners in having a body 2977-3539 long and 16.5-22.4 times longer than wide, an anterior testis 6.2-8.2 times longer than wide and 8.3-13.0 times longer than the posterior testis, a posterior testis whose width is 35-56% of the body width, and an ovary positioned 11-13% of the body length from the posterior end, and is entirely anterior to the posterior margin of the anterior testis. In addition, 2-34 base differences (0.4-7.0% sequence divergence over 485 base positions) were detected among the ITS2 sequence representing P. heinigerae n. sp. and the 14 representing other Phthinomita species/molecular types. Prevalence and intensity of infection with P. heinigerae n. sp. was relatively high within the heart tissue of T. fucata, with 19 of 20 fish examined from off Heron Island infected (95%) with 7-25 adult worms (arithmetic mean 16.6). Infections by these parasites accounted for an occupation of 7-30% of the total estimated heart volume.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2016.05.00

    \u3ci\u3eDollfustrema durum\u3c/i\u3e n. sp. and \u3ci\u3eHeterobucephalopsis perardua\u3c/i\u3e n. sp. (Digenea: Bucephalidae) from the giant moray eel, \u3ci\u3eGymnothorax javanicus\u3c/i\u3e (Bleeker) (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), and proposal of the Heterobucephalopsinae n. subfam

    Get PDF
    Two new species of bucephalid trematode (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) are described from the giant moray eel, Gymnothorax javanicus (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), from off Lizard Island, Australia. We used a combined morphological and molecular-based approach targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the D1–D3 region of the large subunit (28S) of rDNA to circumscribe the species. Dollfustrema durum n. sp. is distinguished from seven congeners in having 5–6 rows of enlarged body spines circling the anterior portion of the rhynchus. From the remaining 10 species, D. durum n. sp. differs in body length, and in having a caecum that terminates posteriorly to the confluent arc formed by the vitelline follicles, gonads predominantly anterior to the pharynx, testes in tandem, an anterior testis positioned posteriorly to the vitelline follicles, and the pre-vitelline field 23–40% of the body length. Heterobucephalopsis perardua n. sp. differs from Heterobucephalopsis gymnothoracis, the type- and only other reported species, in being two to three times smaller. Heterobucephalopsis, currently considered a genus inquirendum, is confirmed as valid and is rediagnosed. Bayesian inference analysis of 28S rDNA sequences representing 28 species from nine genera and four subfamilies of bucephalid, indicates that i) subfamily classifications previously based on morphological characters are broadly robust, ii) the sequence representing H. perardua n. sp. is resolved as distinct, and basal, to sequences representing the Bucephalinae, the Prosorhynchinae, the Paurorhynchinae, and the Dolichoenterinae, iii) the Dolichoenterinae and the Prosorhynchinae are monophyletic sister clades, basal to the Bucephalinae and the Paurorhynchinae, iv) sequences representing Grammatorcynicola, Prosorhynchus, and Dollfustrema are also monophyletic, v) the Bucephalinae is paraphyletic relative to the Paurorhynchinae, and vi) the bucephaline genera Prosorhynchoides, Rhipidocotyle, and Bucephalus are each polyphyletic. The morphological and molecular differences observed among the four previously recognised subfamilies in this study lead us to propose Heterobucephalopsinae n. subfam. to accommodate the genus Heterobucephalopsis

    Dollfustrema durum n. sp. and Heterobucephalopsis perardua n. sp. (Digenea: Bucephalidae) from the giant moray eel, Gymnothorax javanicus (Bleeker) (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), and proposal of the Heterobucephalopsinae n. subfam.

    Get PDF
    Two new species of bucephalid trematode (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) are described from the giant moray eel, Gymnothorax javanicus (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), from off Lizard Island, Australia. We used a combined morphological and molecular-based approach targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the D1-D3 region of the large subunit (28S) of rDNA to circumscribe the species. Dollfustrema durum n. sp. is distinguished from seven congeners in having 5-6 rows of enlarged body spines circling the anterior portion of the rhynchus. From the remaining 10 species, D. durum n. sp. differs in body length, and in having a caecum that terminates posteriorly to the confluent arc formed by the vitelline follicles, gonads predominantly anterior to the pharynx, testes in tandem, an anterior testis positioned posteriorly to the vitelline follicles, and the pre-vitelline field 23-40% of the body length. Heterobucephalopsis perardua n. sp. differs from Heterobucephalopsis gymnothoracis, the type- and only other reported species, in being two to three times smaller. Heterobucephalopsis, currently considered a genus inquirendum, is confirmed as valid and is rediagnosed. Bayesian inference analysis of 28S rDNA sequences representing 28 species from nine genera and four subfamilies of bucephalid, indicates that i) subfamily classifications previously based on morphological characters are broadly robust, ii) the sequence representing H. perardua n. sp. is resolved as distinct, and basal, to sequences representing the Bucephalinae, the Prosorhynchinae, the Paurorhynchinae, and the Dolichoenterinae, iii) the Dolichoenterinae and the Prosorhynchinae are monophyletic sister clades, basal to the Bucephalinae and the Paurorhynchinae, iv) sequences representing Grammatorcynicola, Prosorhynchus, and Dollfustrema are also monophyletic, v) the Bucephalinae is paraphyletic relative to the Paurorhynchinae, and vi) the bucephaline genera Prosorhynchoides, Rhipidocotyle, and Bucephalus are each polyphyletic. The morphological and molecular differences observed among the four previously recognised subfamilies in this study lead us to propose Heterobucephalopsinae n. subfam. to accommodate the genus Heterobucephalopsis.Continued funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Biological Research Study to THC supported this study.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2015.07.00

    Two known and one new species of Proctoeces from Australian teleosts: variable host-specificity for closely related species identified through multi-locus molecular data

    Get PDF
    Species of Proctoeces Odhner, 1911 (Trematoda: Fellodistomidae) have been reported from a wide range of marine animals globally. Members of the genus tend to lack strongly distinguishing morphological features for diagnosis, making identification difficult and the true number of species in the genus contentious. Combined morphological and molecular analyses were used to characterise three species of Proctoeces from Moreton Bay and the southern Great Barrier Reef. Data for two ribosomal regions and one mitochondrial region were generated for specimens collected from Australia. Three unique 18S-genotypes were identified which corresponded to subtle, but reliable, morphological differences. Two species of Proctoeces were identified from fishes of Moreton Bay, Proctoeces insolitus (Nicoll, 1915) Yamaguti, 1953 and P. major Yamaguti, 1934, and a third, P. choerodoni n. sp. from off Heron Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Phylogenetic analyses of partial 18S and partial 28S rDNA indicated that these three species differ from the four species reported outside of Australia for which sequence data are available. Phylogenetically, Proctoeces proved to be a reliable concept, with all species of Proctoeces that have been characterised genetically forming a well-supported clade in all analyses. Dramatically different patterns of host-specificity were identified for each of the three Australian species; P. insolitus apparently infects a single species of fish, P. choerodoni n. sp. infects multiple species of a single genus of fish, and P. major infects multiple species of two teleost orders

    Trematodes of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: emerging patterns of diversity and richness in coral reef fishes

    Get PDF
    The Great Barrier Reef holds the richest array of marine life found anywhere in Australia, including a diverse and fascinating parasite fauna. Members of one group, the trematodes, occur as sexually mature adult worms in almost all Great Barrier Reef bony fish species. Although the first reports of these parasites were made 100 years ago, the fauna has been studied systematically for only the last 25 years. When the fauna was last reviewed in 1994 there were 94 species known from the Great Barrier Reef and it was predicted that there might be 2,270 in total. There are now 326 species reported for the region, suggesting that we are in a much improved position to make an accurate prediction of true trematode richness. Here we review the current state of knowledge of the fauna and the ways in which our understanding of this fascinating group is changing. Our best estimate of the true richness is now a range, 1,100–1,800 species. However there remains considerable scope for even these figures to be incorrect given that fewer than one-third of the fish species of the region have been examined for trematodes. Our goal is a comprehensive characterisation of this fauna, and we outline what work needs to be done to achieve this and discuss whether this goal is practically achievable or philosophically justifiable

    Visual Opsin Diversity in Sharks and Rays

    Get PDF
    The diversity of color vision systems found in extant vertebrates suggests that different evolutionary selection pressures have driven specializations in photoreceptor complement and visual pigment spectral tuning appropriate for an animal's behavior, habitat, and life history. Aquatic vertebrates in particular show high variability in chromatic vision and have become important models for understanding the role of color vision in prey detection, predator avoidance, and social interactions. In this study, we examined the capacity for chromatic vision in elasmobranch fishes, a group that have received relatively little attention to date. We used microspectrophotometry to measure the spectral absorbance of the visual pigments in the outer segments of individual photoreceptors from several ray and shark species, and we sequenced the opsin mRNAs obtained from the retinas of the same species, as well as from additional elasmobranch species. We reveal the phylogenetically widespread occurrence of dichromatic color vision in rays based on two cone opsins, RH2 and LWS. We also confirm that all shark species studied to date appear to be cone monochromats but report that in different species the single cone opsin may be of either the LWS or the RH2 class. From this, we infer that cone monochromacy in sharks has evolved independently on multiple occasions. Together with earlier discoveries in secondarily aquatic marine mammals, this suggests that cone-based color vision may be of little use for large marine predators, such as sharks, pinnipeds, and cetaceans.This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (Grant Nos. DP0558681, CE0561903, DP110103294, and LP160100333), the State Government of Western Australia, and the Sea World Research and Rescue Foundatio

    Molecular approaches to trematode systematics: 'best practice' and implications for future study

    Get PDF
    To date, morphological analysis has been the cornerstone to trematode systematics. However, since the late-1980s we have seen an increased integration of genetic data to overcome problems encountered when morphological data are considered in isolation. Here, we provide advice regarding the ‘best molecular practice’ for trematode taxonomy and systematic studies, in an attempt to help unify the field and provide a solid foundation to underpin future work. Emphasis is placed on defining the study goals and recommendations are made regarding sample preservation, extraction methods, and the submission of molecular vouchers. We advocate generating sequence data from all parasite species/host species/geographic location combinations and stress the importance of selecting two independently evolving loci (one ribosomal and one mitochondrial marker). We recommend that loci should be chosen to provide genetic variation suitable to address the question at hand and for which sufficient ‘useful’ comparative sequence data already exist. Quality control of the molecular data via using proof-reading Taq polymerase, sequencing PCR amplicons using both forward and reverse primers, ensuring that a minimum of 85% overlap exists when constructing consensus sequences, and checking electropherograms by eye is stressed. We advise that all genetic results are best interpreted using a holistic biological approach, which considers morphology, host identity, collection locality, and ecology. Finally, we consider what advances next-generation sequencing holds for trematode taxonomy and systematics

    Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

    Get PDF
    Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries
    corecore