Paradiplozoon homoion Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1959 versus P. gracile Reichenbach-Klinke, 1961 (Monogenea): two species or phenotypic plasticity?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2002 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Systematic Parasitology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | Paradiplozoon homoion; Paradiplozoon gracile; ITS2; rRNA; Cyprinidae |
| Description | Paradiplozoon homoion-complex specimens were collected from ten species of cyprinid fish in Central Europe, Czech Republic. A combined molecular and morphometric approach was performed to distinguish Paradiplozoon homoion and P. gracile. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the ribosomal RNA genes was amplified and sequences were analysed. No variability in the analysed sequences was detected. Measurements of clamps and the central hooks obtained from specimens from different host spcies were compared. Great variability was found in the length and width of the third pair of clamps. No significant differences were detected in the measurements of the central hook sickle. A positive relationship was found between the host size and each of the following measuremnts of the third pair of clamps: length and width of the whole clamp and length of the median plate. Further molecular and morphometric studies are required to resolve this taxonomic problem and henceforth we suggest considering P. gracile as a species inquirenda. |
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