First steps to restructuring the problematic genus Lasiotocus Looss, 1907 (Digenea: Monorchiidae) with the proposal...

Lasiotocus Looss, 1907 is the largest genus within the Monorchiidae Odhner, 1911, with 52 species currently considered valid. Species belonging to this genus exhibit wide morphological variation and it is likely that many of them belong in other genera; however, testing the validity of the group has been hampered by a lack of molecular sequence data, especially for the type-species. Here, we report the first DNA sequences for Lasiotocus mulli (Stossich, 1883) Odhner, 1911, the type-species of the genus, and only the sixth Lasiotocus species to be sequenced. Sequences were generated for three ribosomal DNA markers, the ITS2, 18S and 28S regions, and for one mitochondrial DNA marker, the cox1 region. Phylogenetic analyses show that the six sequenced species form four clearly distinct clades, each of which we argue require separate genera. On the basis of these relationships and review of the morphology of all species in the genus, we propose a system of six genera. Four genera, Lasiotocus, the resurrected concept of Ancylocoelium Nicoll, 1912, Infundiburictus n. gen., and Sinistroporomonorchis n. gen., represent the four molecular clades. Two genera, Paralasiotocus n. gen. and Alloinfundiburictus n. gen., are proposed on the basis of morphology only. Ancylocoelium is resurrected for Ancylocoelium typicum Nicoll, 1912, Infundiburictus is erected for Lasiotocus arrhichostoma Searle, Cutmore & Cribb, 2014, Sinistroporomonorchis is erected for Lasiotocus glebulentus Overstreet, 1971and Lasiotocus lizae Liu, 2002, Paralasiotocus is erected for Lasiotocus okinawaensis Machida, 2011, and Alloinfundiburictus is erected for Lasiotocus cacuminatus Nicoll, 1915. Of the 52 species presently recognised in Lasiotocus, 43 are distributed among these genera; nine are considered species inquirendae or are transferred to other genera. We think it likely that more genera will be required for the species reviewed here but more sequence data are essential to further refine the classification.