Morphological and Molecular Evidence of a Trematode Parasite Infected the Liver of Garfish Xenentodon cancila (Beloniformes: Belonidae) in India

Authors: Chaudhary A*, Singh K, Sharma B and Singh HS

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000437

Volume 6, Issue 1

Abstract

Morphological traits to describe trematode parasites are sometimes difficult to identify and validate a species, especially in cases where many species are described from a single host. The current work uses molecular data to describe diplostomoid metacercariae supplemented with morphology found in freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (Hamilton) collected from the River Ganga in district Bijnour, Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), India. The metacercariae were identified as Posthodiplostomum species, collected from the liver showed a high mass of cysts embedded in and surrounded by partially damaged liver tissue. Partial DNA sequences of the 18S, internal transcribed spacers (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2), and 28S of nuclear ribosomal DNA were generated and compared with available sequences of other congeners on the Genbank database. The phylogenetic analysis of 18S, the ITS cluster (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2), and 28S rDNA of Posthodiplostomum sp. from India fell within the superfamily Diplostomoidea, along with other members of Posthodiplostomum, which confirms its distinct status and places it close to other Indian species. In the Indian region, with morphology alone, many species are described as Neascus-type metacercariae that are awaiting their validation to be supplemented with molecular data. Furthermore, the validity of a few species of the genus Posthodiplostomum is also discussed in the present study.

Keywords: Trematode; Posthodiplostomum; 18S; ITS Cluster; 28S; Meerut; India

View PDF