The Gyrodactylus (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) parasite fauna of freshwater sand gobies (Teleostei, Gobioidei) in their centre of endemism, with description of seven new species

Abstract

While Gobioidei comprises showcases of (adaptive) radiation, the scientific interest they yielded did not ensure full understanding of goby biodiversity. Even in a well-studied region like Europe, wide knowledge gaps remain. Sand gobies represent one of the few clades whose monogenean parasites have been thoroughly studied. However, in the Balkans, part of the sand gobies' centre of endemism, these parasites were unstudied. We focus on Greek and Croatian freshwater gobies. From five sand goby species, the first parasites are reported, describing seven new Gyrodactylus species. Economidichthys pygmaeus harbours Gyrodactylus benedeni sp. n. and Gyrodactylus dorlodoti sp. n. Its congener E. trichonis hosts G. meelkopae sp. n. Knipowitschia milleri was found to host G. charon sp. n., K. thessala is infected by G. bios sp. n., and K. croatica by G. douglasadamsi sp. n. and G. hellemansi sp. n. Gyrodactylus bubyri was found on its type host K. caucasica. A diverse parasite fauna is expected for a region known for its biodiversity and endemism. The contribution of parasites to species richness in such hotspots is overlooked. The observed species richness per host is rather low compared to the better-studied eastern Atlantic sand gobies. Host vicariance is considered to mediate parasite specificity in this fauna. Some new flatworm species display unique morphological features, such as the remarkable size of the marginal hook sickle proper compared to its foot in the Economidichthys parasites, or a characteristically kinked marginal hook sickle in G. douglasadamsi sp. n. These features reflect their hosts' endemism in the Balkans.

Morphology, Molecules, and Monogenean Parasites: An Example of an Integrative Approach to Cichlid Biodiversity

“…For this, we combine morphometric, molecular and parasitological data and compare them with previously published phylogenetic reconstructions [ 39 ]. For the parasitological approach, we target monogenean flatworms, which are commonly used to improve the understanding of their host’s biogeography, phylogeny and taxonomy [ 18 – 19 , 40 – 47 ]. Monogeneans have a simple one-host lifecycle, high species diversity and a relatively high host-specificity.…”

Parasitic infections of two invasive fish species, the Caucasian dwarf goby and the Amur sleeper, in Hungary

“…Data have been reported only on their Gyrodactylus fauna. Of the latter, Osmanov (1971) described G. bubyri from the Caucasian dwarf goby, and Vanhove et al (2014) described further Gyrodactylus spp. from Knipowitschia and Economidichthys spp.…”

Description of Afrogyrodactylus ardae sp. n. (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae) from Rhabdalestes septentrionalis (Characiformes: Alestidae) in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

“…These methods have also been applied to various genera of Gyrodactylidae, inlcuding Afrogyrodactylus (Přikrylová et al, 2013). However, even with the best intentions of obtaining molecular data, sequencing of monogenean DNA remains challenging and can be unsuccessful (García-Vásquez et al, 2011) and, therefore, proper, detailed morphometric descriptions alone are still acceptable for the designation of new species (Vanhove et al, 2014). The comparative features of the three known species of Afrogyrodactylus (Figs.…”