Morphological and phylogenetic analysis of Raillietina sp. infecting domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica).

Abstract

Purpose Common tapeworms in poultry digestive tracts are called Raillietina species. The objective of the present study was to characterize the morphological and genetic relationships between the cestode parasites that infect domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. Methods Using optical and scanning electron microscopy, the general morphology and surface characteristics of the collected cestode parasites were examined. Using sequences from the ND1 and 18S rDNA gene areas, molecular analysis was used to confirm the taxonomy of this parasite based on its morphological characteristics. Results demonstrated a high degree of similarity—up to 98.0% and 74.7%, respectively—between the 18S rDNA and ND1 gene regions and other cestode species found in GenBank. Using close ties, phylogenetic research validated the placement of this Raillietina species within Davaineidae. Conclusion Our findings show that domestic pigeons (C. L. domestica) should be taken into consideration as a potential natural reservoir for several cestode parasite species. To shed light on the evolutionary relationships of Davaineidae, additional research should concentrate on analyzing various genes.