STENOPHYSA MARMORATA (MOLLUSCA: PHYSIDADE) AS AN INTERMEDIATE HOST OF A SNAKE TREMATODE OF THE FAMILY RENIFERIDAE IN...

Area of Science:

• Parasitology
• Molecular Phylogenetics
• Herpetology

Background:

• Reniferidae trematodes infect snakes in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.
• Renifer heterocoelium is found in South American snakes, but its snail hosts are unknown.
• Understanding trematode life cycles is crucial for host-parasite ecology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize a xiphidiocercaria from Brazil.
• To determine the phylogenetic position of the larva within the Reniferidae family.
• To investigate potential conspecificity with Renifer heterocoelium.

Main Methods:

• Morphological analysis of cercariae from the snail Stenophysa marmorata.
• Molecular analysis using nuclear ribosomal DNA (28S and ITS regions).
• Phylogenetic analysis incorporating mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome oxidase subunit 1).

Main Results:

• The cercaria exhibited morphological traits consistent with reniferid trematodes.
• Phylogenetic analyses supported its placement within the Reniferidae family, likely in the genus Renifer.
• Low genetic divergences were observed with known Renifer species, suggesting potential conspecificity with R. heterocoelium.

Conclusions:

• The identified cercaria represents a larval stage of a Reniferid trematode from Brazil.
• Morphological and molecular data suggest a close relationship to Renifer heterocoelium.
• This study contributes to understanding snake trematode transmission and diversity in South America.