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DOI

Host organism offers an environment for a parasite, and this environment is heterogenous within the host, variable among individual as well as between the hosts, and changing during the host's lifetime. This heterogeneity may act as a prerequisite for parasite species divergence. Intraspecific variability related to a certain type of heterogeneity may indicate an initial stage of speciation, and thus poses an evolutionary importance. Here we analyzed genetic and morphologic variation of trematode metacercariae of Microphallus piriformes (Trematoda, Microphallidae). Genetic variability of trematodes was assessed from sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1). Morphological variation of metacercarial body shape was for the first time analyzed using geometric morphometrics. Parasites from the White Sea and the Barents Sea coasts demonstrated partial genetic divergence (according to COI sequence analysis) and had significantly different body shape. Neither genetic nor morphological variation of metacercariae was related to intermediate host species. We discuss possible causes of the observed genetic divergence of parasite populations in different geographic regions.
Original languageEnglish
Article number235-245
Pages (from-to)235-245
Number of pages11
JournalInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
Volume11
Early online date26 Feb 2020
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2020

    Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Infectious Diseases

    Research areas

  • Developmental stability, Geometric morphometrics, Microphallus piriformes, Molecular markers, Paraxenia, Trematoda

ID: 51230670