First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis

The Asian fish tapeworm (AFT), scientifically known as Schyzocotyle acheilognathi, is a commonly encountered invasive parasite that has great relevance in freshwater ecosystems. This euryxenous cestode has a complex life cycle and includes a wide range of definitive hosts. It has also been reported...

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Main Authors: Astrid Rave, Sara López-Osorio, Manuel Uribe, Carlos Hermosilla, Jenny J. Chaparro-Gutiérrez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Veterinary Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1614531/full
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author Astrid Rave
Sara López-Osorio
Manuel Uribe
Carlos Hermosilla
Jenny J. Chaparro-Gutiérrez
author_facet Astrid Rave
Sara López-Osorio
Manuel Uribe
Carlos Hermosilla
Jenny J. Chaparro-Gutiérrez
author_sort Astrid Rave
collection DOAJ
description The Asian fish tapeworm (AFT), scientifically known as Schyzocotyle acheilognathi, is a commonly encountered invasive parasite that has great relevance in freshwater ecosystems. This euryxenous cestode has a complex life cycle and includes a wide range of definitive hosts. It has also been reported in more than 300 species of free-living and farmed fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Its remarkable pathogenicity leads to high mortality rates in infected fish, particularly among cyprinids. The environmental adaptability of S. acheilognathi has contributed to its global spread across continents, excluding Antarctica. In South America, S. acheilognathi has been reported in Brazil and Argentina. In this study, we examined 103 specimens of Parodon magdalenensis, a hyperendemic characiform fish species native to the Magdalena River basin in Colombia, and found a parasite prevalence in 32 of 103 specimens (31.07%). This study presents the first morphological and molecular characterization of the AFT in Colombia and its identification in a new host species (P. magdalenensis), supported by rDNA sequences from the 28S, 18S, and 16S regions.
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spelling doaj-art-e7c0452e278446d8aefdd0b3407b08262025-08-20T03:28:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-07-011210.3389/fvets.2025.16145311614531First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensisAstrid Rave0Sara López-Osorio1Manuel Uribe2Carlos Hermosilla3Jenny J. Chaparro-Gutiérrez4CIBAV Research Group, Veterinary Medicine School, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaCIBAV Research Group, Veterinary Medicine School, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaCIBAV Research Group, Veterinary Medicine School, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaBiomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyCIBAV Research Group, Veterinary Medicine School, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, ColombiaThe Asian fish tapeworm (AFT), scientifically known as Schyzocotyle acheilognathi, is a commonly encountered invasive parasite that has great relevance in freshwater ecosystems. This euryxenous cestode has a complex life cycle and includes a wide range of definitive hosts. It has also been reported in more than 300 species of free-living and farmed fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Its remarkable pathogenicity leads to high mortality rates in infected fish, particularly among cyprinids. The environmental adaptability of S. acheilognathi has contributed to its global spread across continents, excluding Antarctica. In South America, S. acheilognathi has been reported in Brazil and Argentina. In this study, we examined 103 specimens of Parodon magdalenensis, a hyperendemic characiform fish species native to the Magdalena River basin in Colombia, and found a parasite prevalence in 32 of 103 specimens (31.07%). This study presents the first morphological and molecular characterization of the AFT in Colombia and its identification in a new host species (P. magdalenensis), supported by rDNA sequences from the 28S, 18S, and 16S regions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1614531/fullAsian tapewormParodon magdalenensisnative fishfreshwater fishneotropical
spellingShingle Astrid Rave
Sara López-Osorio
Manuel Uribe
Carlos Hermosilla
Jenny J. Chaparro-Gutiérrez
First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Asian tapeworm
Parodon magdalenensis
native fish
freshwater fish
neotropical
title First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
title_full First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
title_fullStr First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
title_full_unstemmed First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
title_short First report of the Asian tapeworm Schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the Colombian freshwater fish Parodon magdalenensis
title_sort first report of the asian tapeworm schyzocotyle acheilognathi in the colombian freshwater fish parodon magdalenensis
topic Asian tapeworm
Parodon magdalenensis
native fish
freshwater fish
neotropical
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1614531/full
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