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Aptorchis aequalis Nicoll, 1914 (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae) is a senior synonym of Dingularis anfracticirrus Jue Sue & Platt, 1999 (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae)
Abstract
Examination of the type-specimen of Aptorchis aequalis Nicoll, 1914 (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae) revealed anatomical features not included in the original description; most notably the intestinal caeca extend to near the posterior end of the worm instead of terminating just posterior to the ventral sucker. A comparison of the type of A. aequalis with specimens identified as Dingularis anfracticirrus Jue Sue & Platt, 1999, from the author's collection yielded no differences that would justify the recognition of two genera. Therefore, Dingularis Jue Sue & Platt, 1999, is considered a junior subjective synonym of Aptorchis Nicoll, 1914. Principal components analysis of specimens of Aptorchis collected from three species of freshwater turtles at various localities in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia revealed no differences between these specimens and the type-specimen of Dingularis anfracticirrus. Therefore, D. anfracticirrus is considered a junior subjective synonym of A. aequalis. Aptorchis Nicoll, 1914, includes the following species: A. aequalis (= Dingularis anfracticirrus new synonymy); A. pearsoni (Jue Sue & Platt, 1999) n. comb.; and A. megapharynx (Jue Sue & Platt, 1999) n. comb.
... Chelodina longicollis, despite its widespread distribution, has been reported as a host to only four species of Digenea from the regions of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales (Table 1). Zelmer and Platt (2008) Rohde (1984) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Elseya latisternum Aptorchis aequalis Intestine Queensland Nicoll (1914) D Northern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008), Platt and Jensen (2002) Auriculotrema lechneri Small intestine Northern Queensland Platt (2003), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Sigmapera cincta Intestine Northern Queensland Nicoll (1918) Ferguson (2002) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson et al. (2001), Ferguson (2002) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson (2002) Uterotrema burnsi Heart, liver Northern Queensland Northern Queensland Platt andBlair (1996) Zelmer andPlatt (2008) Uterotrema kreffti Heart Queensland Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii Aptorchis aequalis C Small intestine Southern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1999a), Platt and Jensen (2002) Aptorchis elegans Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Platt and Brooks (2001) Choanocotyle elegans Small intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998), Ferguson and Smales (2006) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Notopronocephalus ppekayi Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Platt and Pichelin (1994), Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii dhara Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Northern New South Wales Platt and Jensen (2002), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocaotyle nematoides Large intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura macquarii macquarii Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura signata Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Emydura sp. Uterotrema sp. ...
... Chelodina longicollis, despite its widespread distribution, has been reported as a host to only four species of Digenea from the regions of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales (Table 1). Zelmer and Platt (2008) Rohde (1984) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Elseya latisternum Aptorchis aequalis Intestine Queensland Nicoll (1914) D Northern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008), Platt and Jensen (2002) Auriculotrema lechneri Small intestine Northern Queensland Platt (2003), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Sigmapera cincta Intestine Northern Queensland Nicoll (1918) Ferguson (2002) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson et al. (2001), Ferguson (2002) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson (2002) Uterotrema burnsi Heart, liver Northern Queensland Northern Queensland Platt andBlair (1996) Zelmer andPlatt (2008) Uterotrema kreffti Heart Queensland Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii Aptorchis aequalis C Small intestine Southern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1999a), Platt and Jensen (2002) Aptorchis elegans Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Platt and Brooks (2001) Choanocotyle elegans Small intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998), Ferguson and Smales (2006) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Notopronocephalus ppekayi Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Platt and Pichelin (1994), Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii dhara Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Northern New South Wales Platt and Jensen (2002), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocaotyle nematoides Large intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura macquarii macquarii Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura signata Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Emydura sp. Uterotrema sp. ...
... Chelodina longicollis, despite its widespread distribution, has been reported as a host to only four species of Digenea from the regions of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales (Table 1). Zelmer and Platt (2008) Rohde (1984) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Elseya latisternum Aptorchis aequalis Intestine Queensland Nicoll (1914) D Northern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008), Platt and Jensen (2002) Auriculotrema lechneri Small intestine Northern Queensland Platt (2003), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Sigmapera cincta Intestine Northern Queensland Nicoll (1918) Ferguson (2002) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson et al. (2001), Ferguson (2002) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson (2002) Uterotrema burnsi Heart, liver Northern Queensland Northern Queensland Platt andBlair (1996) Zelmer andPlatt (2008) Uterotrema kreffti Heart Queensland Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii Aptorchis aequalis C Small intestine Southern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1999a), Platt and Jensen (2002) Aptorchis elegans Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Platt and Brooks (2001) Choanocotyle elegans Small intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998), Ferguson and Smales (2006) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Notopronocephalus ppekayi Intestine Central and northern Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Pretestis laticaecum Intestine Central Queensland Ferguson and Smales (2006) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Central and northern Queensland Jue Sue and Platt (1998) Ferguson and Smales (2006) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Platt and Pichelin (1994), Platt and Blair (1996) Emydura macquarii dhara Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Northern New South Wales Platt and Jensen (2002), Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocaotyle nematoides Large intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Northern New South Wales Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura macquarii macquarii Aptorchis aequalis Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Buckarootrema goodmani Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Choanocotyle nematoides Large intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Sigmapera cincta Small intestine Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Uterotrema australispinosa Heart Southern Queensland Zelmer and Platt (2008) Emydura signata Notopronocephalus peekayi Intestine Queensland Cribb and Pichelin (1997) Emydura sp. Uterotrema sp. ...
Feral populations of Chelodina longicollis (Shaw, 1794) have established in Tasmania but many aspects of their biology in the wild remain unknown. A number of C. longicollis specimens were available for examination for parasites. Two species of digenean parasites were found in three of the 11 turtles examined: a Choanocotyle sp. and Thrinascotrema brisbanica Jue Sue & Platt, 1999. This is the first report of parasites from feral turtles in Tasmania. Due to the lack of native populations of freshwater turtles in Tasmania, these parasites must also have been introduced to Tasmania and have established life cycles in the new environments. The implications of such introductions, without suitable definitive hosts available to assist in establishing parasite infections, is discussed. An updated list of digenean parasites reported from Australian freshwater turtles is presented.
Freshwater snails are important hosts in the life cycles of many medically important parasites, particularly for digenetic trematodes such as liver flukes and schistosomes. The current study was conducted to determine the infection of freshwater snails with parasites that can potentially be transmitted to humans within the Murrumbidgee catchment area which is an area of widespread intensive aquaculture in Australia. A total of 116 freshwater snails, belonging to three species (Isidorella hainesii, Glyptophysa novaehollandica and Bullastra lessoni), were examined for the presence of parasites in both man-made and natural environments. The analysis of sequence data, including the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, small subunit (18S) ribosomal DNA, and large subunit (28S) ribosomal DNA, indicated that the collected parasites belonged to two distinct genera, namely Clinostomum and Echinostoma. It is noteworthy that species of both of these digenean parasites have the potential to be zoonotic. Cercariae of both Clinostomum and Echinostoma were observed in snails collected from aquaculture settings. It is important to highlight that infectious stages of Clinostomum has been previously detected in edible fish within Australia. This information raises concerns regarding the potential transmission of these parasites to humans through the consumption of contaminated fish. These findings emphasize the importance of monitoring and controlling the presence of Clinostomum and Echinostoma in aquaculture environments to minimise the risk of zoonotic infections and ensure food safety. Further research and surveillance are needed to better understand the prevalence, transmission dynamics, and potential public health implications associated with these parasites in the context of aquaculture in Australia.
Aptorchis kuchlingi n. sp. is described from the rectum of the oblong turtle, Chelodina oblonga (Pleurodira: Chelidae), in southwest Western Australia. This digenean is morphologically most similar to Aptorchis pearsoni but can be differentiated from the latter species by: a relatively longer cirrus sac in relation to overall body length, a cirrus sac that reaches the ovary, testes that are situated much closer to the cirrus sac and separated from it only by the seminal receptacle, vitellarium that extends anteriorly beyond the ventral sucker, a relatively wider ventral sucker in relation to oral sucker width, and a pharynx equal in size or larger than the oral sucker. Comparison of approximately 2,400 bases of ribosomal DNA (complete internal transcribed spacer [ITS]1 + 5.8S + ITS2, partial 28S) obtained from all 5 known Aptorchis species also suggests a close relationship of the new species with A. pearsoni and strongly supports the status of A. kuchlingi n. sp. as a new species. This is the fourth species of Aptorchis reported from long-necked turtles (Chelodina) and the first species of the genus reported in C. oblonga.
Aptorchis megacetabulus n. sp. is described from the intestine of the northern long-necked turtle, Chelodina rugosa (Pleurodira: Chelidae), in Northern Territory, Australia. This is the first helminth species reported from C. rugosa. This plagiorchioidean digenean differs from the 3 previously known species of Aptorchis in the relative size of the ventral sucker, overall body proportions, nature of the cirrus sac, and egg size. Comparison of approximately 2,700 bases of ribosomal DNA obtained from all known Aptorchis species strongly supports the status of Aptorchis megacetabulus n. sp. as a new species.
Aptorchis glandularis n. sp. is described from the intestine of the northwestern red-faced turtle, Emydura australis (Pleurodira: Chelidae), in the Kimberley, Western Australia. This digenean is morphologically most similar to Aptorchis aequalis but can be differentiated readily from the latter species by the presence of ventral glands arranged in 3 rows. This feature is unique among plagiorhioidean digeneans and resembles the glands observed in some monostome digeneans in Notocotylidae and Microscaphidiidae. Comparison of approximately 2,600 bases of ribosomal DNA (partial 18S, complete ITS1+5.8S+ITS2, partial 28S), obtained from all 5 known Aptorchis species, strongly supports the status of Aptorchis glandularis n. sp. as a new species. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequence data demonstrates 2 strongly supported clades (A. pearsoni + A. megacetabulus) and (A. aequalis + A. glandularis n. sp.), with A. megapharynx representing a separate lineage. This is the first report of an endoparasite from Emydura australis.
Dingularus n.g. is proposed to accommodate three new species, D. anfracticirrus, D. pearsoni and D. megapharynx, within the Plagiorchiida. Dingularus is closely related to the Plagiorchiidae, despite the unusual excretory systems of the three species. Adult worms were parasitic in the intestines of freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa (D. pearsoni and D. megapharynx) and Emydura macquarii (D. anfracticirrus), and appeared to be host-specific. The three species had similar, three-host, aquatic life-cycles and each life-cycle was followed experimentally. The planorbid snail Glyptophysa gibbosa served as the first intermediate host for each species. Tadpoles of Limnodynastes peronii and snails G. gibbosa and Austropeplea lessoni served as second intermediate hosts. Dingularus spp. eggs were fully embryonated and infective when laid. They remained viable for 2-3 months in water but did not hatch until eaten by G. gibbosa. Miracidia were stimulated in the stomach of the snail host but did not hatch until eggs passed into the intestine. Hatching occurred in only the anterior fifth of the intestine. Hatched miracidia were not passed with the snail faeces. The pre-patent period in the snail differed in each species: D. anfracticirrus 42 days, D. pearsoni 23 days and D. megapharynx 32 days.
The “shear” method of Humphries et al. (1981) is based on a path model intended to explain differences in form by multiple factors: one for size and one or more for shape differences. Its adaptation for “removing” the effects of a within-population size-factor from between-group morphometric analyses is presented in compact matrix form, simplified, and compared to the method of orthogonal projection proposed by Burnaby (1966). While the sizecorrection methods give similar results for most real data sets, Burnaby's procedure with k = 1 (i.e., using a single composite size variable) is recommended for this purpose owing to its geometrical and computational simplicity. An example based on artificial data demonstrates that sheared principal components are not necessarily uncorrelated with size. Path modeling of size and shape together is a different purpose than size-correction, and is better served by a different procedure.
It is only within the last half-dozen years that any serious attempt has been made to deal systematically with the parasitic worms of Australia. In 1909 Dr T. Harvey Johnston commenced what has proved to be a most extensive and successful survey of the cestode parasites. Dealing at first chiefly with Southern forms, he has latterly (1912) continued his investigations in Queensland and has extended them to include Nematodes and Echinorhynchs. Some years previously (1901) Dr S. J. Johnston of Sydney had started a study of the Trematode parasites, but this did not lead to any outstanding results until last year, when his important paper on the Trematode parasites of Australian frogs appeared. He has followed this up by another important work on Trematodes from North Queensland, which has appeared during the present year.