New findings on Gyrodactylus spp. parasitising African cichlids in southern Africa are presented, comprising data from Zimbabwe and South Africa. Morphometry of opisthaptoral hard parts in combination with nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences confirmed the presence of six species of Gyrodactylus von Nordmann, 1832. Three new species are described from fishes in Zimbabwe: Gyrodactylus chitandiri n. sp. from the gill arches of Coptodon rendalli (Boulenger) and Pseudocrenilabrus philander (Weber); Gyrodactylus occupatus n. sp. from the fins of Oreochromis niloticus (L.), Pharyngochromis acuticeps (Steindachner) and P. philander; and Gyrodactylus parisellei n. sp. from the fins of O. niloticus, P. philander and Tilapia sp. Gyrodactylus nyanzae Paperna, 1973 was also identified from the gills of O. niloticus and C. rendalli collected from two localities in Zimbabwe; these findings represent new host and locality records for this parasite. Gyrodactylus sturmbaueri Vanhove, Snoeks, Volckaert & Huyse, 2011 was identified from P. philander collected in South Africa and Zimbabwe thereby providing new host and locality records for this parasite. Finally, Gyrodactylus yacatli García-Vásquez, Hansen, Christison, Bron & Shinn, 2011 was collected from the fins of O. niloticus and P. philander studied in Zimbabwe; this represents the first record of this species from the continent of Africa. Notably, this study improves upon the knowledge of Gyrodactylus spp. parasitising cichlids from these southern African regions. All species studied were recorded from at least two different cichlid host species indicating trend for a wide range of Gyrodactylus hosts in Africa. Accordingly, this supports the idea of intensive host switching in the course of their evolution.

• MeSH
• Biodiversity MeSH
• Cichlids parasitology   MeSH
• DNA, Helminth genetics   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Host Specificity MeSH
• Animal Fins parasitology   MeSH
• Rivers MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal genetics   MeSH
• Trematoda anatomy & histology   classification   genetics   MeSH
• Gills parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• South Africa MeSH
• Zimbabwe MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal MeSH

Some taxonomic groups are less amenable to mitochondrial DNA barcoding than others. Due to the paucity of molecular information of understudied groups and the huge molecular diversity within flatworms, primer design has been hampered. Indeed, all attempts to develop universal flatworm-specific COI markers have failed so far. We demonstrate how high molecular variability and contamination problems limit the possibilities for barcoding using standard COI-based protocols in flatworms. As a consequence, molecular identification methods often rely on other widely applicable markers. In the case of Monogenea, a very diverse group of platyhelminth parasites, and Rhabdocoela, representing one-fourth of all free-living flatworm taxa, this has led to a relatively high availability of nuclear ITS and 18S/28S rDNA sequences on GenBank. In a comparison of the effectiveness in species assignment we conclude that mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal markers perform equally well. In case intraspecific information is needed, rDNA sequences can guide the selection of the appropriate (i.e. taxon-specific) COI primers if available.

• Keywords
• Monogenea, Rhabdocoela, mitochondrial DNA, primer design, ribosomal DNA, turbellarians,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

An overview of Gyrodactylus infecting catfishes from the African continent is provided, including new data from Sudan, Senegal, Kenya and Mozambique. Haptoral sclerite morphometry and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences revealed the presence of eight Gyrodactylus species. On Senegalese Synodontis nigrita, Gyrodactylus synodonti n. sp. and Gyrodactylus nigritae n. sp. are described. These are the first reports of gyrodactylid parasites from mochokid hosts. From the fins of North African catfish Clarias gariepinus collected in Mozambique, Gyrodactylus alekosi n. sp. and Gyrodactylus rysavyi were identified. G. rysavyi was also reported from Kenyan C. gariepinus and Senegalese Clarias anguillaris. From the fins of C. anguillaris studied in Senegal, two more species, Gyrodactylus transvaalensis and Gyrodactylus gelnari n. sp. were recognised. In addition, Gyrodactylus turkanaensis n. sp. from the gills of Kenyan C. gariepinus was described and an undescribed Gyrodactylus sp. was recorded from Sudanese representatives of the same host. Detailed morphometrical and molecular comparisons of the species are presented and discussed. The study highlights the hitherto understudied diversity of viviparous monogenean parasites throughout Africa.

• MeSH
• DNA, Helminth genetics   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Genetic Variation MeSH
• Trematode Infections parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer genetics   MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Fish Diseases parasitology   MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• Catfishes parasitology   MeSH
• Trematoda anatomy & histology   classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Gills anatomy & histology   parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Africa MeSH
• Kenya MeSH
• Mozambique MeSH
• Senegal MeSH
• Sudan MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH

The first record of Gyrodactylus species Nordmann, 1832 on the cichlid fish from Senegal is reported. Gyrodactylus parasites were found on four host species studied, Hemichromis fasciatus, Hemichromis letournaeuxi, Oreochromis niloticus, and Sarotherodon galilaeus. Gyrodactylus cichlidarum Paperna (Bamidgeh 13:14-29, 1968) were collected from H. fasciatus, and its identity was confirmed based on the morphometrical comparison with the holotype specimens of G. cichlidarum. Only one specimen of Gyrodactylus sp. was noted on H. letournaeuxi. The gyrodactylid specimens on O. niloticus and S. galilaeus were described as Gyrodactylus ergensi n. sp. based on the detailed morphometrical analysis supported by sequencing. The haptoral sclerites of G. ergensi n. sp., which closely resemble those of Gyrodactylus nyanzae Paperna, 1973, are compared with the type material and discussed. A partial sequence of the internal transcribed spacer recombinant DNA (ITS rDNA) was obtained from two specimens of G. ergensi, and a close relationship between G. ergensi n. sp. and G. cichlidarum is suggested based on 92% similarity in ITS rDNA region.

• MeSH
• Cichlids parasitology   MeSH
• DNA, Helminth chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Platyhelminths anatomy & histology   classification   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Senegal MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH