Taxonomy and genetic divergence of Paranoplocephala kalelai (Tenora, Haukisalmi et Henttonen, 1985) (Cestoda, Anoplocephalidae) in the grey-sided vole Myodes rufocanus in northern Fennoscandia

Paranoplocephala kalelai (Tenora, Haukisalmi et Henttonen, 1985) is an anoplocephalid cestode that primarily parasitizes the grey-sided vole Myodes rufocanus (syn. Clethrionomys rufocanus) in northern Fennoscandia. In a preliminary molecular phylogenetic analysis, the cytochrome oxidase I (mtDNA) sequences of P. kalelai formed two divergent sublineages originating from two different localities in northern Finland and northern Norway. The present data confirm the existence of two strongly supported clades and show that their geographic distributions are overlapping in northernmost Finland. Relatively deep genetic divergence and coexistence of the two main clades at one of the localities suggest that the material may include two biological species. However, because the specimens representing the two mtDNA clades of P. kalelai are not morphometrically sufficiently differentiated and because the mtDNA clade of the specimens from the type locality is unknown, they are not assigned to different species. Comparison with the existing phylogeographic data of M. rufocanus suggests that the genetic structure of this host-specific cestode reflects the glacial and post-glacial history of its primary host. A redescription is presented for P. kalelai.

Genetic variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 within three species of Progamotaenia (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) from macropodid marsupials

Sequence variation within 3 morphologically defined species of the anoplocephalid cestode genus Progamotaenia (P. ewersi, P. macropodis and P. zschokkei) was investigated using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. The magnitude of genetic variation detected within each morphospecies suggests that, in each instance, several cryptic species are present. Within P. ewersi, 5 genetically distict groups of cestodes were detected, 1 shared by Macropus robustus and M. parryi in Queensland, 1 in M. agilis from Queensland, 1 in Petrogale assimilis from Queensland, 1 in Macropus fuliginosus from South Australia and 1 in Wallabia bicolor from Victoria. In P. macropodis, cestodes from M. robustus from Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, M. parryi from Queensland and M. eugenii from South Australia were genetically distinct from those in Wallabia bicolor from Queensland and Victoria and from M. fuliginosus from South Australia. P. zschokkei consisted of a number of genetically distinct groups of cestodes, 1 in Lagorchestes conspicillatus and L. hirsutus from Queensland and the Northern Territory respectively, 1 in Petrogale herberti, P. assimilis and M. dorsalis from Queensland, 1 in Onychogalea fraenata from Queensland, 1 in M. agilis from Queensland and 1 in Thylogale stigmatica and T. thetis from Queensland. In general, genetic groups within each morphospecies were host specific and occurred predominantly in a particular macropodid host clade. Comparison of genetic relationships of cestodes with the phylogeny of their hosts revealed examples of colonization (P. zschokkei in M. agilis) and of host switching (P. zschokkei in M. dorsalis).

The anoplocephalid cestode parasites of the spectacled hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus Gould, 1842 (Marsupialia: Macropodidae)

ABSTRACTProgamotaenia gynandrolinearis sp. nov. is described from the small intestine of Lagorchestes conspicillatus Gould, 1842 from Barrow I., Western Australia. It is distinguished from other species by the small number of testes arranged in a single transverse row. Progamotaenia lagorchestis (Lewis, 1914) is redescribed. The name Progamotaenia thylogale sp. nov. is proposed for a second species described previously under the name P. lagorchestis. Progamotaenia zschokkei (Janicki, 1905), Progamotaenia festiva (Rudolphi, 1819) and Progamotaenia villosa (Lewis, 1914) were also found in L. conspicillatus.