Diplozoidae are common monogenean ectoparasites of cyprinoid fish, with the genus Paradiplozoon being the most diversified. Despite recent studies on Diplozoidae from Europe, Africa and Asia, the diversity, distribution and phylogeny of this parasite group appears to be still underestimated in the Middle East. The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity, endemism and host specificity of diplozoids parasitizing cyprinoid fish from the Middle East, considering this region as an important historical interchange of fish fauna, and to elucidate the phylogenetic position of Middle Eastern Paradiplozoon species within Diplozoidae. Four Paradiplozoon species were collected from 48 out of 94 investigated cyprinoid species. Three known species, Paradiplozoon homoion, Paradiplozoon bliccae and Paradiplozoon bingolensis, were recorded on new cyprinoid host species, and a new species, Paradiplozoon koubkovae n. sp., was recorded on Luciobarbus capito and Capoeta capoeta from the Caspian Sea basin in Iran and Turkey. Paradiplozoon bliccae, exhibiting a wide host range in the Middle East, expressed both morphological and genetic intraspecific variabilities. The four Paradiplozoon species collected in the Middle East were placed in divergent clades, showing the rich evolutionary history of diplozoid parasites in the Middle East. Our study also revealed that two lineages of African diplozoids have a Middle Eastern origin. We stress the importance of applying an integrative approach combining morphological, ecological and molecular methods to reveal the real diversity of diplozoids.

Department of Basic Sciences Faculty of Fisheries Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University 48000 Menteşe Muğla Turkey

Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management Environmental Science Research Institute Shahid Beheshti University Shahid Shahriari Sq Velenjak 1983969411 Tehran Iran

Department of Botany and Zoology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Ecology Faculty of Science Charles University Viničná 7 Prague 2 128 44 Czech Republic

Department of Zoology National Museum Václavské náměstí 68 Prague 1 110 00 Czech Republic

Faculty of Fisheries Recep Tayyip Erdogan University 53100 Rize Turkey

Vocational School of Health Services Eskişehir Osmangazi University Büyükdere Meşelik Yerleşkesi 26040 Eskişehir Turkey

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