Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato
Haemogregarines are blood parasites with a life-cycle involving a vertebrate as the intermediate host and an invertebrate as the definitive host and vector. Extensive phylogenetic investigations based on 18S-rRNA gene sequences have shown that <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> (Apicomplexa...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| author | Olivier Verneau Sirine Melliti Latifa Kimdil El Hassan El Mouden Mohamed Sghaier Achouri Rachid Rouag |
| author_facet | Olivier Verneau Sirine Melliti Latifa Kimdil El Hassan El Mouden Mohamed Sghaier Achouri Rachid Rouag |
| author_sort | Olivier Verneau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Haemogregarines are blood parasites with a life-cycle involving a vertebrate as the intermediate host and an invertebrate as the definitive host and vector. Extensive phylogenetic investigations based on 18S-rRNA gene sequences have shown that <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae) is able to infest a large diversity of freshwater turtle species, including the European pond turtle <i>Emys orbicularis</i>, the Sicilian pond turtle <i>Emys trinacris</i>, the Caspian turtle <i>Mauremys caspica</i>, the Mediterranean pond turtle <i>Mauremys leprosa</i>, and the Western Caspian turtle <i>Mauremys rivulata</i>, among others. From the same molecular markers, <i>H. stepanowi</i> is further considered to be a complex of cryptic species predisposed to infect the same host species. While <i>Placobdella costata</i> is known to be the unique vector of <i>H. stepanowi</i>, it is only recently that independent lineages within <i>P. costata</i> have been illustrated—suggesting the presence of at least five unique leech species across Western Europe. The aims of our study were therefore to investigate from mitochondrial markers (COI) the genetic diversity within haemogregarines and leeches infecting freshwater turtles of the Maghreb, in order to identify processes of parasite speciation. We showed that <i>H. stepanowi</i> consists of at least five cryptic species in the Maghreb, while two <i>Placobella</i> species were identified in the same area. Although an Eastern–Western speciation pattern was apparent for both leeches and haemogregarines, we cannot make definitive conclusions regarding co-speciation patterns between parasites and vectors. However, we cannot reject the hypothesis of a very strict host–parasite specificity within leeches. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:08:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-75338637a850430f9acbcb68fd791a082023-11-18T11:43:53ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072023-06-01116158410.3390/microorganisms11061584Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu LatoOlivier Verneau0Sirine Melliti1Latifa Kimdil2El Hassan El Mouden3Mohamed Sghaier Achouri4Rachid Rouag5Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, FranceCentre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, FranceCentre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, UMR 5110, F-66860 Perpignan, FranceLaboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climatic Change, Faculty of Sciences, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech 40000, MoroccoLaboratoire de Diversité, Gestion et Conservation des Systèmes Biologiques, LR18ES06, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis-El Manar, Tunis 2092, TunisiaLaboratoire de Recherche Biodiversité et Pollution des Ecosystèmes, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Chadli Bendjedid El-Tarf, BP73, El-Tarf 36000, AlgeriaHaemogregarines are blood parasites with a life-cycle involving a vertebrate as the intermediate host and an invertebrate as the definitive host and vector. Extensive phylogenetic investigations based on 18S-rRNA gene sequences have shown that <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> (Apicomplexa: Haemogregarinidae) is able to infest a large diversity of freshwater turtle species, including the European pond turtle <i>Emys orbicularis</i>, the Sicilian pond turtle <i>Emys trinacris</i>, the Caspian turtle <i>Mauremys caspica</i>, the Mediterranean pond turtle <i>Mauremys leprosa</i>, and the Western Caspian turtle <i>Mauremys rivulata</i>, among others. From the same molecular markers, <i>H. stepanowi</i> is further considered to be a complex of cryptic species predisposed to infect the same host species. While <i>Placobdella costata</i> is known to be the unique vector of <i>H. stepanowi</i>, it is only recently that independent lineages within <i>P. costata</i> have been illustrated—suggesting the presence of at least five unique leech species across Western Europe. The aims of our study were therefore to investigate from mitochondrial markers (COI) the genetic diversity within haemogregarines and leeches infecting freshwater turtles of the Maghreb, in order to identify processes of parasite speciation. We showed that <i>H. stepanowi</i> consists of at least five cryptic species in the Maghreb, while two <i>Placobella</i> species were identified in the same area. Although an Eastern–Western speciation pattern was apparent for both leeches and haemogregarines, we cannot make definitive conclusions regarding co-speciation patterns between parasites and vectors. However, we cannot reject the hypothesis of a very strict host–parasite specificity within leeches.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/6/1584TestudinesMediterranean pond turtleEuropean pond turtleCOIApicomplexahaemogregarines |
| spellingShingle | Olivier Verneau Sirine Melliti Latifa Kimdil El Hassan El Mouden Mohamed Sghaier Achouri Rachid Rouag Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato Microorganisms Testudines Mediterranean pond turtle European pond turtle COI Apicomplexa haemogregarines |
| title | Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato |
| title_full | Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato |
| title_fullStr | Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato |
| title_short | Molecular Phylogenies of Leeches and Haemoparasites Infecting Freshwater Turtles in Aquatic Ecosystems of Northern Africa Suggest Phylogenetic Congruence between <i>Placobdella costata</i> Sensu Lato and <i>Haemogregarina stepanowi</i> Sensu Lato |
| title_sort | molecular phylogenies of leeches and haemoparasites infecting freshwater turtles in aquatic ecosystems of northern africa suggest phylogenetic congruence between i placobdella costata i sensu lato and i haemogregarina stepanowi i sensu lato |
| topic | Testudines Mediterranean pond turtle European pond turtle COI Apicomplexa haemogregarines |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/11/6/1584 |
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