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Issue: Vol. 5463 No. 1: 4 Jun. 2024
Type: Article
Published: 2024-06-04
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5463.1.1
Page range: 1-24
Abstract views: 7
PDF downloaded: 6

Morphological and molecular data on helminths of Didelphis virginiana and Philander vossi (Mammalia: Didelphidae) from the Yucatán Peninsula, southeast Mexico

Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Pet-Ro; clínica veterinaria privada; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Centro de Estudios de Desarrollo Sustentable y Aprovechamiento de la Vida Silvestre; Universidad Autónoma de Campeche; Campeche; Campeche; México
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias; Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán; Mérida; Yucatán; México
Natural History Museum; London; United Kingdom; Institute of Parasitology; Czech Academy of Sciences; České Budějovice; Czech Republic
Instituto de Biología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Ciudad de México; México
Instituto de Biología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Ciudad de México; México
Mammalia helminths integrative taxonomy Neotropical region opossums

Abstract

In the present study, helminths from six Didelphis virginiana and one Philander vossi are reported using morphological techniques (clearing, staining, and scanning electron microscopy). Additionally, the 28S rRNA sequences of individuals from nine helminth taxa are provided. Phylogenetic analyses were performed with the new 28S rRNA sequences to confirm the identification and the genealogical relationships of the parasites. Thirteen helminth taxa were identified, comprising the trematodes Brachylaima sp. and Platynosomum illiciens, the cestode Mathevotaenia sp., the nematodes Cruzia americana, Cruzia tentaculata, Viannaia arriaguensis, Viannaia sp., Travassostrongylus sp., Strongyloides sp., Turgida turgida, Trichuris minuta, and Trichuris sp., and the acanthocephalan Oligacanthorhynchus microcephalus. All opossums were infected with at least four helminth taxa. In total, 17 new 28S rRNA sequences from nine helminth taxa were provided. These data, combined with previous records in Mexico, increase the number of helminth taxa parasitizing D. virginiana and P. vossi to 41 and 29, respectively. However, these reports are incompletes and concentered in localities of some states. It is possible that new surveys in the Nearctic and even Neotropical regions will reveal a higher helminth diversity in these mammals in the country.

 

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