title: Tracing the genus Sphaerospora: rediscovery, redescription and phylogeny of the Sphaerospora ranae (Morelle, 1929) n. comb. (Myxosporea, Sphaerosporidae), with emendation of the genus Sphaerospora.
abstract: Using a combination of morphological, life-history and molecular data, we redescribe Sphaerospora ranae (Morelle, 1929) n. comb. (previously Leptotheca ranae) and emend its taxonomic status. Renal infection was recorded in 2 spp. of frogs (out of 5 amphibian spp. examined), Rana dalmatina (proposed type host) and Rana temporaria, suggesting restricted host specifity of S. ranae. We provide a description of sporogonic stages of S. ranae for the first time and suggest possible modes of its developmental cycle. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the small-subunit ribosomal DNA revealed a close relationship of S. ranae with piscine Sphaerospora elegans (type species of the genus) and Sphaerospora truttae, forming together with distantly related Leptotheca fugu a 'Sphaerosporid clade', the basal branch to all myxosporean species. The close relationship of the 3 Sphaerospora spp. is further supported by the presence of 2 areas with extensive nucleotide insertions in the V4 region of the SSU rDNA (absent in L. fugu), morphology and life-history features. We conclude, that the spore morphology of Sphaerospora s.l., is very simple and probably represents a 'primitive', basal morphotype retained in most myxosporean lineages. Based on presented data, we propose emendation of the genus Sphaerospora using morpological, life-history and molecular features.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, AS CR, Branisovská 31, 370 05 Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic. miloslav.jirku@seznam.cz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jirků
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fiala
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Modrý
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007668:Kidney / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D011898:Ranidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D033761:Spores, Protozoan / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal