Determining Intermediate Hosts for Opecoelidae and Microphallidae Species (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) in the Southeastern Pacific Coast, Using Molecular Markers.
Metacercarial stages of digeneans were collected from decapod crustaceans inhabiting intertidal rocky zones in central Chile. The digeneans were identified through a molecular analysis based on the V4 region of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene. We analyzed 356 crustaceans belonging to 10 species, 115 intertidal fish belonging to 6 species, and 4 specimens of 1 coastal bird species. In total, 74.1% of crustaceans were parasitized with metacercariae. We found 1 species of Opecoelidae. This species showed low genetic divergence (0% and 0.1%) with adult digeneans found in intertidal fish and with the species Helicometrina labrisomi infesting a subtidal fish from northern Chile (Labrisomus philippii). Additionally, we found 2 species of Microphallidae, 1 closely related to Maritrema (1.3% genetic distance) and the other related to Microphallus (5% genetic distance). Therefore, our findings showed that the decapod crustaceans are relevant hosts in food webs from the southeastern Pacific coast. Furthermore, we found 5 species of crustaceans as second intermediate hosts for H. labrisomi and 2 species as secondary intermediate hosts for 2 Microphallidae, which contribute to elucidate parts of their life cycles through molecular markers and extended the host distribution of H. labrisomi in the southeastern Pacific coast.
PARALAB, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, P.O. 5080, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile.
Natalia Verónica
NV
Leiva
PARALAB, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, P.O. 5080, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile.
Zambra
Z
López
PARALAB, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, P.O. 5080, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile.
María Teresa
MT
González
PARALAB, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Valparaíso, P.O. 5080, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile.
Gabriela
G
Muñoz
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D001717:Birds; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D033364:Decapoda / Q000469:parasitology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D005399:Fishes; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D058488:Metacercariae / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D014200:Trematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*
D005819:Genetic Markers; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S