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Scholz T. Gaps in parasitological research in the molecular era. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:283-291. [PMID: 38429122 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
We live in the age of molecular biology and '-omics', and molecular methods have opened up unimagined possibilities for biological research, including parasitology. However, too one-sided a focus on new approaches can lead to major gaps as less 'cool' topics are neglected. Selected areas of research are briefly discussed to highlight the gaps caused by the current excessive focus on molecular and '-omics' methods. It is crucial to combine both 'classical' and modern methods without neglecting the complexity of the interactions of parasites with their hosts and the environment (One Health concept), which is even more urgent in today's rapidly changing world. Parasitologists should be more involved in field studies and multidisciplinary assessment of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Scholz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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2
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Benovics M, Rahmouni C, Řehulková E, Nejat F, Šimková A. Uncovering the monogenean species diversity of cyprinoid fish in Iraq using an integrative approach. Parasitology 2024; 151:220-246. [PMID: 38116665 PMCID: PMC10941050 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023001348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The freshwaters of Iraq harbour a high diversity of endemic and phylogenetically unique species. One of the most diversified fish groups in this region is cyprinoids, and although their distribution is relatively well known, their monogenean parasites have only rarely been investigated. Herein, we applied an integrative approach, combining morphology with molecular data, to assess the diversity and phylogeny of cyprinoid-associated monogenean parasites. A total of 33 monogenean species were collected and identified from 13 endemic cyprinoid species. The highest species diversity was recorded for Dactylogyrus (Dactylogyridae, 16 species) and Gyrodactylus (Gyrodactylidae, 12 species). Four species of Dactylogyrus and 12 species of Gyrodactylus were identified as new to science and described. Two other genera, Dogielius (Dactylogyridae) and Paradiplozoon (Diplozoidae), were represented only by 4 and 1 species, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of the Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus species revealed that the local congeners do not form a monophyletic group and are phylogenetically closely related to species from other regions (i.e. Europe, North Africa and Eastern Asia). These findings support the assumption that the Middle East served as an important historical crossroads for the interchange of fauna between these 3 geographic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Benovics
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - C. Rahmouni
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - E. Řehulková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - F. Nejat
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - A. Šimková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Řehulková E, Seifertová M, Francová K, Šimková A. Nearctic Dactylogyrus species (Platyhelminthes, Monogenea) parasitizing cypriniform fishes in the context of morphology and phylogeny, with descriptions of seven new species. Parasite 2023; 30:30. [PMID: 37589452 PMCID: PMC10433842 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2023032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosomal DNA sequences are currently available for 32 morphologically recognized species of Dactylogyrus parasitizing Nearctic cypriniforms, but only 16 of them are assigned to nominal species. Herein, morphological data on 28 of the 32 species are provided, together with comments on their phylogenetic relationships in the context of the morphology of taxonomically important structures. Seven new species of Dactylogyrus are described from five species of leuciscids and one species of catostomids, as follows: D. aduncus n. sp. from Campostoma spadiceum, D. cloutmani n. sp. from Luxilus chrysocephalus isolepis, D. cornifrons n. sp. from Cyprinella venusta, D. fimbratus n. sp. from Rhinichthys cataractae, D. mcallisteri n. sp. from Semotilus atromaculatus, and D. chieni n. sp. and D. haneki n. sp. from Hypentelium nigricans. Four previously described species of Dactylogyrus, D. atromaculatus from S. atromaculatus, D. eos from C. neogaeus, D. parvicirrus from Notemigonus crysoleucas and D. perlus from L. c. isolepis, are redescribed and/or figured. As for the remaining 17 species, only the male copulatory organs (MCOs) taken from the respective hologenophores are illustrated. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses, two main clades of Nearctic Dactylogyrus were recognized and supported by the different morphology of the MCO. The first one included 22 strictly Nearctic species sharing the same MCO type with Dactylogyrus spp. parasitizing cyprinids likely of Asian origin. The second clade encompassed Dactylogyrus spp. with diverse MCO morphology and was placed in the sister position to Dactylogyrus spp. parasitizing European leuciscids and North-West African cyprinids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Řehulková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Mária Seifertová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Francová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Šimková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
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Molokomme PS, Benovics M, Luus-Powell WJ, Lukhele LP, Přikrylová I. Dactylogyrus spp. (Dactylogyridae, Monogenea) from tinfoil barb, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii imported into South Africa: morphometric and molecular characterisation. Parasite 2023; 30:29. [PMID: 37565987 PMCID: PMC10416761 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2023031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This study reports on three species of Dactylogyrus Diesing, 1850 (Dactylogyridae) collected from tinfoil barb, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii (Bleeker) which were imported into South Africa as ornamental fish from Sri Lanka and Thailand. Supplementary morphometric characterisation and molecular data (partial 18S and 28S rDNA, and ITS1 region sequences) are presented for Dactylogyrus lampam (Lim & Furtado, 1986), Dactylogyrus tapienensis Chinabut & Lim, 1993 and Dactylogyrus viticulus Chinabut & Lim, 1993. Prevalence of Dactylogyrus spp. infection was 87% and 80% for fish from Sri Lanka and Thailand, respectively. Composition of the parasites between the fish of each origin differed. All three species were found to infect fish from Thailand, but only D. lampam was present on the fish received from Sri Lanka. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the position of studied species, with D. lampam clustering within the lineages of varicorhini-type species, while D. tapienensis and D. viticulus form a sister lineage to Dactylogyrus spp. associated with Cyprinus carpio L. and Carassius spp., species parasitising central African large cyprinids (Labeo Cuvier), and species parasitising African and Middle Eastern Carasobarbus spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prince S. Molokomme
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DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem Health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo Sovenga 0727 South Africa
| | - Michal Benovics
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Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
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Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava 841 04 Bratislava Slovakia
| | - Wilmien J. Luus-Powell
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DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem Health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo Sovenga 0727 South Africa
| | - Linda P. Lukhele
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DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem Health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo Sovenga 0727 South Africa
| | - Iva Přikrylová
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DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem Health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo Sovenga 0727 South Africa
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Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Development, North-West University Potchefstroom 2520 South Africa
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Plaksina MP, Dmitrieva EV, Dvoretsky AG. Helminth Communities of Common Fish Species in the Coastal Zone off Crimea: Species Composition, Diversity, and Structure. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030478. [PMID: 36979169 PMCID: PMC10045640 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we analyzed the diversity and structure of helminth communities of 12 common fish species from the coastal zone of Crimea. A total of 53 helminth species were found. The total number of parasite species per host fish ranged from 3 to 18. Species richness at the infracommunity and component community levels were from 1.4-4.2 to 1.7-7, respectively. The Brillouin index for the infracommunites was 0.1-1, while the Shannon index for the component communities was 0.3-1.2. Component communities demonstrated a bi- or tri-modal distribution of the parasite prevalence and positive correlations between the prevalence and log-transformed abundance indices, thus following the "core-satellite" conception. Overall, the prevalence and abundance index of the dominant parasite in the component communities ranged from 18 to 80% and from 0.6 to 61.5 ind. per fish, respectively. The structure of the helminth component communities demonstrated good accordance with the nestedness mode where the rarest species occurred in the most diverse infracommunities, while the poorest infracommunities were composed of a few dominating species. More than two-thirds of the studied helminth species had an aggregated distribution indicating well-structured and developed communities. Our data provide a basis for further research and may be used for fish resource monitoring and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana P Plaksina
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MMBI RAS), 183010 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Evgenija V Dmitrieva
- A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander G Dvoretsky
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MMBI RAS), 183010 Murmansk, Russia
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Nazarizadeh M, Nováková M, Loot G, Gabagambi NP, Fatemizadeh F, Osano O, Presswell B, Poulin R, Vitál Z, Scholz T, Halajian A, Trucchi E, Kočová P, Štefka J. Historical dispersal and host-switching formed the evolutionary history of a globally distributed multi-host parasite - The Ligula intestinalis species complex. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 180:107677. [PMID: 36572162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107677] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Studies on parasite biogeography and host spectrum provide insights into the processes driving parasite diversification. Global geographical distribution and a multi-host spectrum make the tapeworm Ligula intestinalis a promising model for studying both the vicariant and ecological modes of speciation in parasites. To understand the relative importance of host association and biogeography in the evolutionary history of this tapeworm, we analysed mtDNA and reduced-represented genomic SNP data for a total of 139 specimens collected from 18 fish-host genera across a distribution range representing 21 countries. Our results strongly supported the existence of at least 10 evolutionary lineages and estimated the deepest divergence at approximately 4.99-5.05 Mya, which is much younger than the diversification of the fish host genera and orders. Historical biogeography analyses revealed that the ancestor of the parasite diversified following multiple vicariance events and was widespread throughout the Palearctic, Afrotropical, and Nearctic between the late Miocene and early Pliocene. Cyprinoids were inferred as the ancestral hosts for the parasite. Later, from the late Pliocene to Pleistocene, new lineages emerged following a series of biogeographic dispersal and host-switching events. Although only a few of the current Ligula lineages show narrow host-specificity (to a single host genus), almost no host genera, even those that live in sympatry, overlapped between different Ligula lineages. Our analyses uncovered the impact of historical distribution shifts on host switching and the evolution of host specificity without parallel host-parasite co-speciation. Historical biogeography reconstructions also found that the parasite colonized several areas (Afrotropical and Australasian) much earlier than was suggested by only recent faunistic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Nazarizadeh
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Milena Nováková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Géraldine Loot
- UMR-5174, EDB (Laboratoire Evolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, IRD, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, France
| | | | - Faezeh Fatemizadeh
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
| | - Odipo Osano
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Eldoret, Kenya
| | | | - Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Zoltán Vitál
- Research Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Szarvas, Hungary
| | - Tomáš Scholz
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ali Halajian
- Research Administration and Development, and 2-DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, South Africa
| | - Emiliano Trucchi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Jan Štefka
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Benovics M, Vukić J, Šanda R, Nejat F, Charmpila EA, Buj I, Shumka S, Porcelloti S, Tarkan SA, Aksu S, Emiroğlu O, Šimková A. Monogeneans and chubs: Ancient host-parasite system under the looking glass. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 179:107667. [PMID: 36400419 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Host-parasite coevolution is one of the fundamentals of evolutionary biology. Due to the intertwined evolutionary history of two interacting species and reciprocal coadaptation processes of hosts and parasites, we can expect that studying parasites will shed more light onto the evolutionary processes of their hosts. Monogenea (ectoparasitic Platyhelminthes) and their cyprinoid fish hosts represent one of the best models for studying host-parasite evolutionary relationships using a cophylogenetic approach. These parasites have developed remarkably high host specificity, where each host species often serves as a potential host for its own host-specific monogenean species. Here, the cophylogenetic relationships in the Dactylogyrus-Squalius system was investigated, as Squalius is one of several cyprinoid genera with puzzling phylogeography and inhabits all four major peri-Mediterranean peninsulas. Of 29 endemic Squalius species examined for the presence of Dactylogyrus parasites, a total of 13 Dactylogyrus species were collected from the gills of 20 Squalius species across a wide range of distribution. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed a polyphyletic origin for Dactylogyrus species parasitizing congeneric Squalius, with four major clades being recognized. On the basis of the delimitation of host specificity, strict specialists parasitizing single host species, geographic specialists parasitizing congeners in a limited geographical region, and true generalists parasitizing congeners in various geographical regions were recognized in Dactylogyrus species parasitizing Squalius. The phylogenetic reconstruction of Squalius hosts revealed two major clades, the first encompassing only peri-Mediterranean species and the second including species from other Euro-Asian regions. Distance-based cophylogenetic methods did not reveal a statistically significant global cophylogenetic structure in the studied system; however, several host-parasite links among Iberian endemic species contributed significantly to the overall structure. The widest host range and associated genetic variability were recorded for D. folkmanovae, parasitizing nine Squalius species, and D. vistulae, parasitizing 13 Squalius species. Two different dispersion mechanisms and morphological adaptations to Squalius hosts were clearly reflected in the contrasting cophylogenetic patterns for these two species with different levels of host specificity. While host-parasite cospeciation plays an important role in diversification within D. folkmanovae, diversification within D. vistulae is driven mainly by host switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Benovics
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - J Vukić
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 44, Czech Republic.
| | - R Šanda
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 44, Czech Republic; Department of Zoology, National Museum, Václavské Náměstí 68, Prague 1 110 00, Czech Republic.
| | - F Nejat
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - E A Charmpila
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 44, Czech Republic.
| | - I Buj
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 100 00 Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - S Shumka
- Department of Biotechnology and Food, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania.
| | - S Porcelloti
- Associazione Ichthyos Italia, Via. A Cecchi 12, 52100 Arezzo, Italy.
| | - S A Tarkan
- Faculty of Fisheries, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Menteşe 480 00, Muğla, Turkey; Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland.
| | - S Aksu
- Vocational School of Health Services, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Büyükdere Meşelik Yerleşkesi, 26040 Eskişehir, Turkey.
| | - O Emiroğlu
- Vocational School of Health Services, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Büyükdere Meşelik Yerleşkesi, 26040 Eskişehir, Turkey.
| | - A Šimková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.
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