Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) kuseli sp. n. (Protozoa: Kinetoplastida) in Siberian flying squirrels (Pteromys volans)

Abstract

All trypanosome species classified in the subgenus Herpetosoma in sciurid hosts have been recorded from ground and tree squirrels to date, but not from any flying squirrels. We describe in this paper a novel trypanosome species, Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) kuseli sp. n., from Siberian flying squirrels (Pteromys volans) imported from China, and compare it with T. (H.) otospermophili in Richardson's ground squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) and Columbian ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus) from the USA. Due to a short free flagellum, the new species appeared stumpy compared with T. otospermophili (length of free flagellum 7.0 +/- 0.8 microm, total length 32.1 +/- 0.8 microm, n = 13 and length of free flagellum 15.5 +/- 1.6 microm, total length 35.9 +/- 1.0 microm, n = 13, respectively). Another conspicuous morphological feature of the new species was an anteriorly positioned kinetoplast, found approximately at the midpoint between the nucleus and the posterior end. These characters have not been recorded from any squirrel Herpetosoma trypanosome species. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the small and large subunit rRNA genes indicated that T. kuseli sp. n. was more homologous to T. otospermophili than murid Herpetosoma species, such as T. grosi, T. lewisi, T. musculi, T. microti and T. evotomys.

Expanding the knowledge about Leishmania species in wild mammals and dogs in the Brazilian savannah

“…in all parts of the world, transmitted by fleas and T. grosi shows a host-restriction to mice of the genus Apodemus , distributed in Europe and Asia [ 43 , 44 ]. Trypanosoma otospermophili and T. kuseli are trypanosomes of squirrels also transmitted by fleas occurring both in old and new worlds [ 43 , 45 ]. The identification of these trypanosomes needs confirmation because most samples showed identity values <90% and we have no morphological evidence to support these results.…”

Subtle short-term physiological costs of an experimental augmentation of fleas in wild Columbian ground squirrels

“…After collection, we centrifuged the capillary tubes at 5000 g for 10 min to apply quantitative buffy coat methodology. Centrifugation of whole blood serves to concentrate trypanosomes in the buffy coat of the solute and enhance parasite detection (Sato et al, 2007); 5 μl of the buffy coat was spread on a glass slide in a thin smear and Wright-Giesma stained (Shandon Kwik-Diff stain, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA), followed by count estimates of trypanosomes.…”