Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa

Microcotylids have rarely been reported along the South African coast, even though the Microcotylidae is one of the dominant polyopisthocotylan families. The present study focused on elucidating the parasite diversity of the Cape white seabream, Diplodus capensis (Smith), from various localities alo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vermaak Anja, Bouguerche Chahinez, Acosta Aline A., Smit Nico J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:Parasite
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2025/01/parasite240203/parasite240203.html
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849411309384237056
author Vermaak Anja
Bouguerche Chahinez
Acosta Aline A.
Smit Nico J.
author_facet Vermaak Anja
Bouguerche Chahinez
Acosta Aline A.
Smit Nico J.
author_sort Vermaak Anja
collection DOAJ
description Microcotylids have rarely been reported along the South African coast, even though the Microcotylidae is one of the dominant polyopisthocotylan families. The present study focused on elucidating the parasite diversity of the Cape white seabream, Diplodus capensis (Smith), from various localities along the South African coast. By combining molecular and morphological techniques, two previously undescribed species of the Microcotylidae were identified. Atriaster ibamba n. sp. primarily differs from its congeners by the number and size of the hooks surrounding the genital atrium. Polylabris dassie n. sp. has a single vagina and is unique to most others of this genus by having a smaller male copulatory organ, and by the shape of this organ. This is the first report of species of Atriaster from South Africa, as well as the first report of any polyopisthocotylan from D. capensis. The present study also contributes the first genetic sequences of marine microcotylids from South Africa.
format Article
id doaj-art-782fe525d08d43399265d4e6bfdbd6c1
institution Kabale University
issn 1776-1042
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher EDP Sciences
record_format Article
series Parasite
spelling doaj-art-782fe525d08d43399265d4e6bfdbd6c12025-08-20T03:34:48ZengEDP SciencesParasite1776-10422025-01-01324410.1051/parasite/2025037parasite240203Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South AfricaVermaak Anja0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5340-0249Bouguerche Chahinez1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9620-8273Acosta Aline A.2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1984-2414Smit Nico J.3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7950-193XWater Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityDepartment of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural HistoryWater Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityWater Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West UniversityMicrocotylids have rarely been reported along the South African coast, even though the Microcotylidae is one of the dominant polyopisthocotylan families. The present study focused on elucidating the parasite diversity of the Cape white seabream, Diplodus capensis (Smith), from various localities along the South African coast. By combining molecular and morphological techniques, two previously undescribed species of the Microcotylidae were identified. Atriaster ibamba n. sp. primarily differs from its congeners by the number and size of the hooks surrounding the genital atrium. Polylabris dassie n. sp. has a single vagina and is unique to most others of this genus by having a smaller male copulatory organ, and by the shape of this organ. This is the first report of species of Atriaster from South Africa, as well as the first report of any polyopisthocotylan from D. capensis. The present study also contributes the first genetic sequences of marine microcotylids from South Africa.https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2025/01/parasite240203/parasite240203.htmlmicrocotylidaeatriasterpolylabrismarine fish parasitesintegrative taxonomylife under water
spellingShingle Vermaak Anja
Bouguerche Chahinez
Acosta Aline A.
Smit Nico J.
Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
Parasite
microcotylidae
atriaster
polylabris
marine fish parasites
integrative taxonomy
life under water
title Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
title_full Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
title_fullStr Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
title_short Two new species of Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 (Platyhelminthes: Polyopisthocotyla) parasitising Diplodus capensis (Teleostei, Sparidae) off South Africa
title_sort two new species of microcotylidae taschenberg 1879 platyhelminthes polyopisthocotyla parasitising diplodus capensis teleostei sparidae off south africa
topic microcotylidae
atriaster
polylabris
marine fish parasites
integrative taxonomy
life under water
url https://www.parasite-journal.org/articles/parasite/full_html/2025/01/parasite240203/parasite240203.html
work_keys_str_mv AT vermaakanja twonewspeciesofmicrocotylidaetaschenberg1879platyhelminthespolyopisthocotylaparasitisingdiploduscapensisteleosteisparidaeoffsouthafrica
AT bouguerchechahinez twonewspeciesofmicrocotylidaetaschenberg1879platyhelminthespolyopisthocotylaparasitisingdiploduscapensisteleosteisparidaeoffsouthafrica
AT acostaalinea twonewspeciesofmicrocotylidaetaschenberg1879platyhelminthespolyopisthocotylaparasitisingdiploduscapensisteleosteisparidaeoffsouthafrica
AT smitnicoj twonewspeciesofmicrocotylidaetaschenberg1879platyhelminthespolyopisthocotylaparasitisingdiploduscapensisteleosteisparidaeoffsouthafrica