Document of bibliographic reference 392831

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Molecular phylogeny of the leech genus Pontobdella (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) with notes on Pontobdella californiana and Pontobdella macrothela

Abstract

Leech specimens of the genus Pontobdella (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) were found off the coast of the state of Oaxaca (Pacific) as well as in Veracruz and Tabasco (Gulf of Mexico), Mexico. Based on the specimens collected in Oaxaca, a redescription of Pontobdella californiana is provided, with emphasis on the differences in the reproductive organs with the original description of the species. In addition, leech cocoons assigned to P. californiana were found attached to items hauled by gillnets and studied using scanning electron microscopy and molecular approaches. Samples of Pontobdella macrothela were found in both Pacific and Atlantic oceans, representing new geographic records. The phylogenetic position of P. californiana is investigated for the first time, and with the addition of Mexican samples of both species, the phylogenetic relationships within Pontobdella are reinvestigated. Parsimony and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis were based on mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I [COI] and 12S rRNA) and nuclear (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) DNA sequences. Based on our results, we confirm the monophyly of Pontobdella and the pantropical distribution of P. macrothela with a new record in the Tropical Eastern Pacific.

Bibliographic citation

Ruiz-Escobar, F.; Torres-Carrera, G.; Islas-Villanueva, V.; Oceguera-Figueroa, A. (2024). Molecular phylogeny of the leech genus Pontobdella (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) with notes on Pontobdella californiana and Pontobdella macrothela. J. Parasitol. 110(3): 186-194. https://dx.doi.org/10.1645/23-122

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true