Occurrence of Mesocestoides canislagopodis (Rudolphi, 1810) (Krabbe, 1865) in mammals and birds in Iceland and its molecular discrimination within the Mesocestoides species complex

Abstract

The life cycle of Mesocestoides tapeworms (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) requires three hosts. The first intermediate host is unknown but believed to be an arthropod. The second intermediate host is a vertebrate. The primary definitive host is a carnivore mammal, or a bird of prey, that eats the tetrathyridium-infected second intermediate host. One representative of the genus, Mesocestoides canislagopodis, has been reported from Iceland. It is common in the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) and has also been detected in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis domestica). Recently, scolices of a non-maturing Mesocestoides sp. have also been detected in gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) intestines, and tetrathyridia in the body cavity of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta). We examined the taxonomic relationship of Mesocestoides from arctic fox, gyrfalcon, and rock ptarmigan using molecular methods, both at the generic level (D1 domain LSU ribosomal DNA) and at the specific level (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 12S mitochondrial DNA). All stages belonged to Mesocestoides canislagopodis. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined 12S-COI at the specific level confirmed that M. canislagopodis forms a distinct clade, well separated from three other recognized representatives of the genus, M. litteratus, M. lineatus, and M. corti/vogae. This is the first molecular description of this species. The rock ptarmigan is a new second intermediate host record, and the gyrfalcon a new primary definitive host record. However, the adult stage seemed not to be able to mature in the gyrfalcon, and successful development is probably restricted to mammalian hosts.

Rodents as intermediate hosts of cestode parasites of mammalian carnivores and birds of prey in Poland, with the first data on the life-cycle of Mesocestoides melesi

“…However, four isolates from rodents from the Mazury Lake District and all three isolates from Eurasian badgers from the same region created a separate clade, distant from all known species or genotypes available in the GenBank database, but most similar to North American M. vogae (syn. M. corti) or recently described M. canislagopodis [16]. Although genetic divergence for 18S rDNA between our unique isolates and these Mesocestoides spp.…”

“…), do not provide sufficient characteristic features to enable unambiguous differentiation between species. To date, 4-7 Mesocestoides species have been reported from Europe [13][14][15][16][17]. The two most commonly reported species are M. litteratus found in red foxes (originally described as from a 'fox'), rodents, grey wolves, dogs and cats among others; and M. lineatus that has been reported from domestic/wild cats (originally described from wild cats, Felis sylvestris) and dogs, jackals and other carnivores [18].…”

Massive infection of a song thrush by Mesocestoides sp. (Cestoda) tetrathyridia that genetically match acephalic metacestodes causing lethal peritoneal larval cestodiasis in domesticated mammals

“…With regards to studies that employed DNA sequencing, several DNA loci were examined, including 12S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) [10, 12, 24–30], cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( cox 1) [10, 24, 25, 28, 30–34], nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 ( nad 1) [10, 28, 32, 34], 18S rDNA [29, 32, 35–37], internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) [12, 35] and 28S rDNA [24, 32, 37, 38]. Sequences of Mesocestoides spp.…”

Host-Parasite Interactions and Population Dynamics of Rock Ptarmigan

“…The parasite fauna of rock ptarmigan in Iceland has been described and 17 species have been reported [25] [26]. In this paper, we want to examine the potential role of the parasites on the population dynamics of rock ptarmigan.…”