Subulura eliseaesp. n. (Ascaridida: Subuluroidea), a parasite ofMarmosaspp. from Amazon rainforest, Brazil

Abstract

The parasite biodiversity of mouse opossums in Brazil remains incompletely explored. We describe a new species of Subulura (Ascaridida: Subuluroidea) from the large intestine of the white-bellied woolly mouse opossum, Marmosa constantiae, based on the results of light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also partially sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (MT-CO1) gene of the new species, using molecular phylogenetic analyses to determine its relationships within the Subuluroidea superfamily. As molecular data on subuluroid species are extremely limited, few inferences could be drawn from our phylogenies. Our SEM observations showed the detailed morphology of the cephalic extremity, precloacal pseudo-sucker, caudal papillae, phasmids and vulva. Subulura eliseae sp. n. differs from the other four Subulura parasites species of marsupials by the number of caudal papillae and the structure dimensions, and size of the spicule. Moreover, S. eliseae sp. n. has ten pairs of caudal papillae, which is unique compared to other species. We present morphometric and molecular data on this new species, contributing to future studies on subuluroids.

Helminth community structure of the white-bellied woolly mouse opossum Marmosa constantiae Thomas, 1904 in Central-West Brazil

“…A total of 1,655 helminths were recovered. Seven nematode species were identified: Aspidodera raillieti Travassos, 1913 (Ascaridida: Aspidoderidae); Gracilioxyuris agilisis Feijó et al 2008 (Oxyurida: Oxyuridae); Travassostrongylus scheibelorum Scheibel et al 2014 (Trichostrongylida: Viannaiidae); Viannaia skrjabini Lent & Freitas, 1937 (Trichostrongylida: Viannaiidae); Spirura aurangabadensis (Ali & Lovekar, 1967) (Spirurida: Spiruridae); Subulura eliseae Andrade-Silva et al 2022a (Strongylida: Subuluridae); and Pterygodermatites sinopiensis Andrade-Silva et al 2022b (Spirurida: Ricticulariidae). The acantocephalan Oligacanthorhynchus microcephalus (Rudolphi, 1819) (Archiacanthocephala, Oligacanthorhynchidae) was also identified.…”

“…This marsupial is a new host of six species of parasites – namely, A. raillieti, G. agilisis, T. scheibelorum, V. skrjabini, S. aurangabadensis , and O. microcephalus. Previous studies based on taxonomic descriptions reported M. constantiae as a type of host for the helminths S. eliseae and P. sinopiensis (Andrade-Silva et al 2022a, b). The similarity between the observed and the expected helminth species richness indicated that probably no helminth species would be incorporated into the M. constantiae component community with an increase in the number of hosts sampled.…”

“…There are few studies of helminth species descriptions for M. constantiae (Andrade-Silva et al 2022a, b). However, there are no studies of its helminth fauna or helminth community structure.…”

A new species of Pterygodermatites (Spirurida: Rictulariidae) in Marmosa constantiae Thomas, 1904 from an ecotone area of the biomes Cerrado/Amazon in the Mato Grosso State, Brazil

“…The first helminth in M. constantiae was nematodes belonging to the subfamily Subulurinae Travassos, 1914, genus Subulura eliseae (7). The morphological characteristics of the genus Pterygodermatites Wedl, 1861 are based on the oral opening position and the total number of cuticular projections, the number of prevulvar cuticular projections in female species, the positions of the papillae on the posterior end, and the size of the spicules in male species (8).…”