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Thys KJM, Vanhove MPM, Custers JWJ, Vranken N, Van Steenberge M, Kmentová N. Co-introduction of Dolicirroplectanum lacustre, a monogenean gill parasite of the invasive Nile perch Lates niloticus: intraspecific diversification and mitonuclear discordance in native versus introduced areas. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:775-786. [PMID: 36228748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The Nile perch (Lates niloticus) is a notorious invasive species. The introductions of Nile perch into several lakes and rivers in the Lake Victoria region led to the impoverishment of trophic food webs, particularly well documented in Lake Victoria. Additionally, its parasites were co-introduced, including Dolicirroplectanum lacustre (Monogenea, Diplectanidae). Dolicirroplectanum lacustre is the single monogenean gill parasite of latid fishes (Lates spp.) inhabiting several major African freshwater systems. We examined the intra-specific diversification of D. lacustre from Lates niloticus in Lake Albert, Uganda (native range) and Lake Victoria (introduced range) by assessing morphological and genetic differentiation, and microhabitat preference. We expected reduced morphological and genetic diversity for D. lacustre in Lake Victoria compared with Lake Albert, as a result of the historical introductions. We found that D. lacustre displayed high morphological variability within and between African freshwaters, with two morphotypes identified, as in former studies. The single shared morphotype between Lake Albert and Lake Victoria displayed similar levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity between the lakes. Mitonuclear discordance within the morphotypes of D. lacustre indicates an incomplete reproductive barrier between the morphotypes. The diversification in the mitochondrial gene portion is directly linked with the morphotypes, while the nuclear gene portions indicate conspecificity. Based on our results, we reported reduced genetic and morphological diversity, potentially being a result of a founder effect in Lake Victoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J M Thys
- Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Maarten P M Vanhove
- Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Jonas W J Custers
- Utrecht University, Department of Biology, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nathan Vranken
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Royal Museum for Central Africa, Biology Department, Section Vertebrates, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Maarten Van Steenberge
- Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Operational Directorate Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nikol Kmentová
- Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Gebouw D, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
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The macroparasite fauna of cichlid fish from Nicaraguan lakes, a model system for understanding host-parasite diversification and speciation. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3944. [PMID: 35273219 PMCID: PMC8913791 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07647-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Nicaraguan lakes represent an ideal continent-island-like setting to study the colonization patterns of both fish and their parasites. The dominant fish fauna are cichlids, particularly the Midas cichlid species complex Amphilophus spp., a well-studied model for recent sympatric speciation. Here, we characterized the Midas cichlid macroparasite diversity in Nicaraguan lakes. We evaluated patterns of parasite diversity across host populations. Morphological and molecular analyses were conducted, revealing a macroparasite fauna composed by 37 taxa, including platyhelminths, nematodes, copepods, branchiurans, hirudineans and oribatids. Three invasive species are reported for the first time. The Midas cichlid was infected by 22 parasite taxa, 18 shared with other cichlids. Eight taxa conformed the core parasite fauna of the Midas cichlid. The large lakes had higher parasite diversity than the smaller and isolated crater lakes, although parasite infracommunity diversity was lower. Environmental factors along with the differential distribution of intermediate hosts, the potential resistance gained by their hosts after colonization of new lakes, competitive exclusion among parasites, or the introduction of exotic fish, may determine the observed pattern of parasite heterogeneous distribution. Our study provides a ground to explore the evolutionary history of both, hosts and parasites within the context of speciation and diversification processes.
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