The genus Contracaecum Raillet & Henry (Nematoda: Anisakidae): host and geographical distribution on Neotropical and Antarctic species

Abstract

Nematodes of the genus Contracaecum Raillet & Henry, 1912 (Anisakidae, Contracaecinae) have a worldwide distribution. The taxonomy of the genus Contracaecum is well-known nowadays due to several morphometric studies, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular biology. The aim of this work was to review, clarify, and summarize the valid species of the genus Contracaecum parasitizing piscivorous sea birds and mammals from both the Neotropical and Antarctic regions reviewing all scientific available papers and electronic searching data up to date. A checklist on Neotropical and Antarctic Contracaecum spp. was organized through a revision of scientific papers and original descriptions. The systematic online search and the most updated papers were obtained through SCOPUS, Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, World Register of Marine Species, etc. We provide information about hosts, Neotropical and Antarctic localities where worms were collected, references, molecular markers, and Genbank accession numbers. Twenty-five Neotropical and Antarctic Contracaecum species have been recorded up to date and checked out as valid ones according to the most updated data. Twenty-one species parasitize exclusively fish-eating birds, two species were reported only on marine mammals, and the other two parasitize both sea birds and mammals. A total of 20 Contracaecum species are exclusively reported for the Neotropical region, three only for Antarctic hosts, and two species were reported parasitizing both Neotropical and Antarctic hosts. Several Contracaecum species (10) have been corroborated by molecular analysis of different genetic markers. After reviewing all morphological descriptions of the Contracaecum species, and despite most of them have been characterized only by morphometric methods, we are convinced that all species listed in this work correspond to good and valid Contracaecum Neotropical and Antarctic species. Present results indicate that more taxonomic and molecular studies are needed to advance the understanding of the distribution and host specificity of the Contracaecum species.

Unveiling the phylogeny of Contracaecum jorgei (Nematoda, Anisakidae) parasitizing Ardea cocoi (Aves, Ardeidae) in Argentina based on an integrative analysis

“…Several Contracaecum species have been documented parasitizing Ardeidae in South America (Table 1), with some records reported in Argentina (Garbin et al 2023). Thus, Schuurmans-Stekhoven (1951) reported Contracaecum microcephalum (Rudolphi, 1809) Baylis, 1920, parasitizing the Great Egret Ardea (=Casmerodius) alba Linnaeus, in the Tucumán province.…”

Phylogenetic relationship between Contracaecum spp. (Nematoda, Anisakidae) parasitizing cormorants (Aves, Phalacrocoracidae) from Argentina

“…Several species of Contracaecum spp. have been reported parasitizing Phalacrocoracidae species in South America so far (Garbin et al 2023). Among them, ve species were reported from shags in Argentina: Contracaecum pelagicum Johnston and Mawson 1942, Contracecum travassosi Guitiérrez 1943, and Contracecum chubutensis Garbin, Diaz, Cremonte, and Navone 2008, parasitizing the Imperial shag Phalacrocorax atriceps (King 1828) from the north Patagonian marine coasts (Gutiérrez 1943; Garbin et al 2008Garbin et al , 2013, Contracaecum australe Garbin, Mattiucci, Paoletti, González-Acuña, and Nascetti 2011, and Contracaecum jorgei Sardella, Mancini, Salinas, Simões and Luque 2020, parasitizing the Neotropic cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Gmelin 1789) in inland wetlands from Córdoba, Argentina (Garbin et al 2011;Biolé et al 2012;Sardella et al 2020).…”