Litomosa chiropterorum Ortlepp, 1932 (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from a South African miniopterid: redescription, Wolbachia screening and phylogenetic relationships with Litomosoides

Parasite

and O. Bain³  J. Boomker⁴  S. Uni²  C. Martin³  M. Casiraghi¹  M. Barbuto¹  K. Junker⁴ 

[1] Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, ZooPlantLab, Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2,20126 Milano,Italy;Department of Medical Zoology, Osaka City University Medical School,Osaka 545-8585,Japan;Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Parasitologie comparée et Modèles expérimentaux, USM 307,CP52, 61, rue Buffon,75231Paris, Cedex 05France;Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria,Private Bag X04,Onderstepoort,0110South Africa

关键词: Wolbachia;    morphology;    microchiroptera;    Litomosoides;    Litomosa;    DNA barcoding;   

Others  :  808424
DOI  :  doi:10.1051/parasite/2009161043

 received in 2008-07-10, accepted in 2008-09-30,  发布年份 2009

【 摘 要 】

69 Miniopterus natalensis, type host of the onchocercid Litomosa chiropterorum, were collected in caves in the Western Province and Gauteng Province, South Africa. The prevalence of these filariae was about 50%. The microfilaria is folded, as in other Litomosa and an area rugosa composed of cuticular bosses is present in the male posterior region. L. chiropterorum is close to the species parasitic in other Miniopterus spp. and some Rhinolophus spp. from Africa, Madagascar and Europe; it is unique with the expanded anterior extremity and the four cephalic submedian bosses. The molecular analysis of L. chiropterorum, the first done with Litomosa species from a bat, supports the hypothesis that Litomosa and Litomosoides, which have an exceptionally large buccal capsule in common, form a group in which Litomosa has a basal position. Interestingly, L. chiropterorum does not harbour Wolbachia, as proved with immunohistological staining and PCR screening using the 16S rDNA gene as target. This is contrary to L. westi from rodents and the majority of the Litomosoides species parasitic in bats or rodents. The absence of Wolbachia in a filarioid group considered ancient based on traditional and molecular approaches opens interesting scenarios on the evolution of the endosymbionts spread through filarial lineages.

【 授权许可】

   
© PRINCEPS Editions, Paris, 2009