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Morphological and Molecular Characterisation of a New Species of Parastrongyloides (Rhabditida: Strongyloididae) from the Short-Beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus from Western Australia

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Abstract

Introduction

A new species of the nematode genus Parastrongyloides Morgan, 1928 was found in the caecum of six short-beaked echidnas Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw, 1792) collected from southwestern Australia between August 1964 and March 2020.

Methods

Specimens were prepared for microscopic examination as temporary wet mounts, measurements were made using an Olympus DP71 camera with cellSens standard software, figures were drawn using a drawing tube and light micrographs taken. DNA was extracted using a Qiagen blood and tissue kit, amplified targeting the COX1 gene region. Sequences obtained were analysed and edited using Geneious v.8.1 and aligned to existing sequences published in Genbank using MUSCLE.

Results

Parastrongyloides spratti n. sp. can be distinguished from all other species of Parastrongyloides in having the male caudal papillae arranged as a single median dome-shaped pre-cloacal papilla, three tiny pairs of ventral papillae immediately pre-cloacal, a tiny ventral pair of papillae post-cloacal and the female with four to five pairs of dorsoventral papillae immediately anterior to the vulva. A revised key to the species of Parastrongyloides found in Australia is given. Sequence analysis of the COX1 gene corroborated the species status of P. spratti.

Discussion

Morphological and molecular analyses support the status of P. spratti as a new species. Parastrongyloides may have an ancient origin in the Australian portion of Gondwanaland.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Lesmurdie WA, the Anatomy Department of Murdoch University and Tayla van der Kroft and Sarah Comer from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for providing us access to echidna carcases. We are also grateful to Kenny Travouillon at the Western Australian Museum for access to their echidna collection. The authors would like to thank the State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre for their use of facilities and Frances Brigg for her help with sequencing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitology Section, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia

    Lesley Smales & Leslie Chisholm

  2. Parasitology, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia

    Aileen Elliot, Sarah Keatley & Alan Lymbery

  3. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Leslie Chisholm

  4. Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia

    Alan Lymbery

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  1. Lesley Smales
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  2. Aileen Elliot
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  4. Leslie Chisholm
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leslie Chisholm.

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The authors declare that all applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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This article was registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) as urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1736415F-8564–4014-AA5E-804FE9F73953. This article was published as an Online First article on the online publication date shown on this page. The article should be cited using the doi number. This is the Version of Record.

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Smales, L., Elliot, A., Keatley, S. et al. Morphological and Molecular Characterisation of a New Species of Parastrongyloides (Rhabditida: Strongyloididae) from the Short-Beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus from Western Australia. Acta Parasit. 67, 153–160 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-021-00443-y

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