Publication details
Intraspecific variability and population structure in generalist diplozoid monogeneans
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | BENOVICS, Michal, Martin ZACH and Andrea VETEŠNÍKOVÁ ŠIMKOVÁ. Intraspecific variability and population structure in generalist diplozoid monogeneans. In 9th International Symposium on Monogenea. 2023. |
| Description | Paradiplozoon homoion represents a true generalist monogenean species with the widest documented host range among diplozoids. The previous studies revealed that P. homoion exhibits a uniformity in the commonly used genetic markers for diplozoid parasites (i.e., ITS2 region and 28S rDNA) across its distribution range, however intraspecific genetic variability was not yet investigated using more variable genomic regions. Herein we studied the genetic variability in P. homoion across 12 countries in the western Palearctic. We recorded a substantial intraspecific variability in partial cytochrome c oxidase I gene, ranging up to 10% difference across the investigated populations in the western Palearctic. The reported intraspecific variability highlights the rapid mutation rate in the mitochondrial DNA in monogeneans, and flatworms in general, which needs to be taken with caution in the future taxonomical studies. The spatial distribution of mtDNA haplotypes exhibited only a weak geographic association, however, the presence of multiple highly divergent haplotypes was rarely recorded in the single P. homoion population. This finding has especially implications for possible assortative mating pattern, considering unique life cycle of diplozoids, the fusion of diporpae most likely requires a certain degree of genetic compatibility. The study was financially supported by VEGA , project no. 1/0583/22, and Czech Grant Agency, project no. 20-13539S. |
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