Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico
Blood parasites are found in many vertebrates, but the research on blood parasites of lizards is still at its onset. We analyzed blood samples from side-blotched lizards Uta stansburiana from San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico, to test for the presence of hemoparasites. We found a high prevalence (23 o...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
EDP Sciences
2018-01-01
|
Series: | Parasite |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2018043 |
id |
doaj-289279bd79784bafbf0f6aac4ad8bf35 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-289279bd79784bafbf0f6aac4ad8bf352021-02-02T00:48:48ZengEDP SciencesParasite1776-10422018-01-01254310.1051/parasite/2018043parasite170156Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, MexicoQuillfeldt PetraRomeike TanjaMasello Juan F.Reiner GeraldWillems HermannBedolla-Guzmán YulianaBlood parasites are found in many vertebrates, but the research on blood parasites of lizards is still at its onset. We analyzed blood samples from side-blotched lizards Uta stansburiana from San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico, to test for the presence of hemoparasites. We found a high prevalence (23 out of 27 samples) of a blood parasite of the genus Lankesterella (Coccidia, Eimeriorina, Lankesterellidae) according to phylogenetic analyses of the parasite 18S rRNA gene. Similar parasites (97–99% similarity) have recently been described for Uta stansburiana from California. The parasite 18S rRNA gene showed high variability, both within San Benito and compared to California. The next closest matches of the parasite DNA with 97–98% similarity included a range of different genera (Lankesterella, Schellackia, Eimeria, Isospora and Caryospora). A high uncertainty in the deeper branches of the phylogenetic trees, and many missing links in genetic network analysis, were in line with previous suggestions that the coccidians are an understudied group with large knowledge gaps in terms of their diversity and taxonomy. Further studies are needed to resolve the evolutionary relationships within the Eimeriorina.https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2018043Blood parasitesLizardLankesterellaCoccidiansEimeriorinaUta stansburiana |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Quillfeldt Petra Romeike Tanja Masello Juan F. Reiner Gerald Willems Hermann Bedolla-Guzmán Yuliana |
spellingShingle |
Quillfeldt Petra Romeike Tanja Masello Juan F. Reiner Gerald Willems Hermann Bedolla-Guzmán Yuliana Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico Parasite Blood parasites Lizard Lankesterella Coccidians Eimeriorina Uta stansburiana |
author_facet |
Quillfeldt Petra Romeike Tanja Masello Juan F. Reiner Gerald Willems Hermann Bedolla-Guzmán Yuliana |
author_sort |
Quillfeldt Petra |
title |
Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico |
title_short |
Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico |
title_full |
Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico |
title_fullStr |
Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico |
title_full_unstemmed |
Molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana on San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico |
title_sort |
molecular survey of coccidian infections of the side-blotched lizard uta stansburiana on san benito oeste island, mexico |
publisher |
EDP Sciences |
series |
Parasite |
issn |
1776-1042 |
publishDate |
2018-01-01 |
description |
Blood parasites are found in many vertebrates, but the research on blood parasites of lizards is still at its onset. We analyzed blood samples from side-blotched lizards Uta stansburiana from San Benito Oeste Island, Mexico, to test for the presence of hemoparasites. We found a high prevalence (23 out of 27 samples) of a blood parasite of the genus Lankesterella (Coccidia, Eimeriorina, Lankesterellidae) according to phylogenetic analyses of the parasite 18S rRNA gene. Similar parasites (97–99% similarity) have recently been described for Uta stansburiana from California. The parasite 18S rRNA gene showed high variability, both within San Benito and compared to California. The next closest matches of the parasite DNA with 97–98% similarity included a range of different genera (Lankesterella, Schellackia, Eimeria, Isospora and Caryospora). A high uncertainty in the deeper branches of the phylogenetic trees, and many missing links in genetic network analysis, were in line with previous suggestions that the coccidians are an understudied group with large knowledge gaps in terms of their diversity and taxonomy. Further studies are needed to resolve the evolutionary relationships within the Eimeriorina. |
topic |
Blood parasites Lizard Lankesterella Coccidians Eimeriorina Uta stansburiana |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2018043 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT quillfeldtpetra molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico AT romeiketanja molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico AT masellojuanf molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico AT reinergerald molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico AT willemshermann molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico AT bedollaguzmanyuliana molecularsurveyofcoccidianinfectionsofthesideblotchedlizardutastansburianaonsanbenitooesteislandmexico |
_version_ |
1724312900537942016 |