Annulotrema (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) from African tetras (Characiformes: Alestidae) in Lake Turkana, Kenya: morphometric and molecular analyses
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The Alestidae, often called African tetras, are known to be parasitized by monogeneans representing three genera, namely Afrocleidodiscus, Annulotrema and Characidotrema, from which Annulotrema includes the highest number of species. The aims of the study were to: (1) investigate species diversity of Annulotrema species from alestids in Lake Turkana; (2) evaluate the relative taxonomic importance of the characters of the reproductive organs and those of the haptoral sclerites in accordance with molecular data; and (3) investigate the relationships between Annulotrema species and other representatives of Dactylogyridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences. Our taxonomical evaluation revealed four new and four previously described Annulotrema spp. on the gills of Alestes baremose, A. dentex, Brycinus minutus and Hydrocynus forskahlii. Morphological analysis of sclerotized structures suggests that there are several different groups within the dactylogyrids parasitizing these fishes, with regard to the basic structure of the male copulatory organ. |
| Related projects: |