New Trypanosoma species
In this study, we explored the diversity of Trypanosoma parasites that infect wild animals in Colombia, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. These microscopic organisms are related to the agents that cause Chagas disease and leishmaniasis in humans, but many species living in wildlife remain unknown. To uncover this hidden diversity, we developed and tested new genetic tools capable of detecting a wide variety of trypanosomatids with high accuracy. Using these tools together with DNA sequencing and microscopy, we identified three previously undescribed species; Trypanosoma vallejoi, T. carranzai, and T. guhli and found that T. wauwau, a parasite of bats, is actually a complex of four closely related subspecies. Our approach combines molecular and morphological data to improve parasite identification and classification, providing a more complete view of parasite biodiversity in tropical ecosystems. Understanding this diversity is important not only for conservation and wildlife health but also for recognizing potential links between wild and human disease cycles.