Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Heterobothrium indicus n. sp. (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) and Its Phylogenetic Status

Abstract

Background: A new species Heterobothrium indicus n. sp. was isolated from the gills of Upeneus moluccensis (Bleeker, 1855) from the Western Coast of India in Arabian Sea region. The monogenean parasite differs from other congeners by morphological features like the presence of asymmetrical haptoral region, 4th pair of clamp smallest than other three pairs of clamps, genital atrium with 8 hooks, number of testes 29-37 and absence of isthmus.Methods: During the survey of marine fishes at Arabian Sea region, new species of monogenean parasite was isolated from the gills of marine fish Upeneus moluccensis. The parasites were morphologically characterized with the help of light and phase contrast microscopy. 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, mt COI, ITS1+5.8S and ITS2+5.8S gene regions of parasites were amplified, sequenced and compared with other diclidophorid taxa using different bioinformatics tools.Result: Phylogenetic tree analyses (NJ, ME and MP methods) of 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and mt COI gene regions are complementing the morphological studies and clearly suggested the placement of this new species under subfamily Choricotylinae, family Diclidophoridae.