title: Characterization by enzyme electrophoresis of specimens of the genus Helicometra (Trematoda, Opecoelidae) from fish caught off the coast of northwest Spain.
abstract: Species within the genus Helicometra are difficult to distinguish on morphological grounds alone, and are best discriminated with the aid of biochemical techniques. In the work reported here, the electrophoretic mobility of malate dehydrogenase isoenzyme of the Mdh-1 locus was used to characterize 375 individuals of Helicometra obtained from various teleost species (Anguilla anguilla, Conger conger, Gobius niger or Ciliata mustela) caught off the coast of northwest Spain. The results suggest that all specimens belong to only one species, probably H. fasciata. Observed genotype frequencies did not differ from those expected under the assumptions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, even when the genic frequencies differ considerably respecting a Mediterranean population.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Santiago de Compostela, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paniagua
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilas
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanmartín
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Santamarina
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Leiro
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ubeira
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D004524:Eels / Q000469:parasitology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D005399:Fishes / Q000469:parasitology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005838:Genotype; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013030:Spain; D013045:Species Specificity; D014200:Trematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase