title: Molecular characterization ofArgulus bengalensisandArgulus siamensis(Crustacea: Argulidae) infecting the cultured carps in West Bengal, India using 18S rRNA gene sequences.
abstract: The present study characterizedArgulusspp. infecting the cultured carps using 18S rRNA gene sequences, estimated the genetic similarity amongArgulusspp. and established their phylogenetic relationship. Of the 320 fish samples screened, 34 fish (10.6%) hadArgulusinfection. The parasitic frequency index (PFI) was observed to be high (20%) inHypophthalmichthys molitrixandLabeo bata. The frequency of infection was high in September (PFI: 17%) and October (PFI: 12.9%). The 18S rRNA sequences of fiveA. bengalensis(KF583878,KF192316, KM016968, KM016969, and KM016970) and oneA. siamensis(KF583879) of this study showed genetic heterogeneity and exhibited 77-99% homology among the 18S rRNA gene sequences ofArgulusspp. of NCBI GenBank database. Among the IndianArgulusspp. the sequence homology was 87-100%. Evolutionary pair-wise distances between IndianArgulusspp. and otherArgulusspp. ranged from 0 to 20.20%. In the phylogenetic tree, all the crustaceans were clustered together as a separate clade with two distinct lineages. The lineage-1 comprised exclusive of Branchiura (Argulusspp.). AllArgulus bengalensisclustered together andA. siamensis(KF583879) was closely related toArgulussp. JN558648. The results of the present study provided baseline data for future work on population structure analysis of IndianArgulusspecies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Chakgaria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Avijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patra
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Chakgaria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Anjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Chakgaria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sayani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Chakgaria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Harresh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adikesavalu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Belgachia, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Siddhartha Narayan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Joardar
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Chakgaria, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Thangapalam Jawahar
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Abraham
keywords: 18S rRNA; Aquaculture; Argulus spp; Phylogenetic relationship