Monogeneans parasitizing African cichlid fishes: current knowledge and future perspectives.
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| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | The evolution of African cichlid fishes is one of the most dramatic examples of extensive radiation and diversification in animals. However, the recent knowledge on parasitofauna of cichlids is limited to several areas of Africa. Today, five genera of monogeneans belonging to the Dactylogyridea, Bychowsky, 1937 (Cichlidogyrus Paperna, 1960, Scutogyrus Pariselle & Euzet, 1995, Onchobdella Paperna, 1968, Enterogyrus Paperna, 1963 and Urogyrus Bilong-Bilong, Birgi & Euzet, 1994) have been proposed on African freshwater fish of Cichlidae. This year, the description of two new species of Cichlidogyrus from freshwater fish in Africa was published. In addition, the evolution and determinants of host specificity in gill monogeneans of Cichlidogyrus and Scutogyrus species parasitizing African freshwater fish of Cichlidae were investigated. In September 2013, the new study focusing on cichlid parasites was started within ECIP project. This study is focused on the investigation of monogenean diversity in different phylogenetic lineages of cichlid fish living in Lake Tanganyika and phylogenetic reconstruction of both cichlid hosts and their monogenean parasites. Lake Tanganyika hosts morphologically, behaviorally and genetically the most diverse cichlid fauna in the world. Our aims for 2014 are following: (i) to study the morphological diversity of cichlid monogeneans in Lake Tanganyika and (ii) to perform the molecular analyses (18S rDNA and ITS1, 28S rDNA, COX1, 16S rDNA). Subsequently, phylogenetic reconstructions and cophylogenetic analyses will be performed. |
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