Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Desportesius invaginatus (Nematoda: Acuariidae) from Egretta garzetta and Bubulcus ibis in Korea

Abstract

An aquariid nematode, Desportesius invaginatus, was found in the proventriculus of an Egretta garzetta and a Bubulcus ibis from Chuncheon in the Republic of Korea. The worms were identified by light and scanning electron microscopy based on important taxonomic characteristics (body length, esophagus length, cordons, spicules, caudal alae of males, position of the vulva) and then phylogenetically analyzed using the 18S rRNA encoding gene. The nematodes were characterized by a body length of 7.0-8.0 mm in males and 10.2-13.1 mm in females, and two pairs of cordons recurrent in the anterior direction, and cordons were anastomosed by a longitudinal cuticular ridge that externally delimits a longitudinal canal. The widest cuticular plates of cordons bears over 20 posterior spines. The length of the spicules in males was also significantly different. The right spicule measured 742-821 (794) m in length and 40-45 (42) m in width, and the left spicule measured 493-556 (541) m in length and 11-13 ( 12) m in width. The caudal alae of males are inflated and vesicular in appearance. The vulva was situated at 56-71 (58.3) m from the posterior extremity. Although the 18S rRNA sequences of worms were similar to the Synhimantus species, some genetic divergences were observed in comparison. In this study, the worms were recognized with genus Desportesius because genus Desportesius was considered a subgenus of Synhimantus. This is the first record of D. invaginatus in the Republic of Korea.