A new species of blood fluke (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) from the Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis (Cryptodira: Geomydidae) in Thailand

J Parasitol. 2009 Jun;95(3):743-6. doi: 10.1645/GE-1858.1.

Abstract

Spirhapalum siamensis n. sp. obtained from the heart of the Malayan box turtle, Cuora amboinensis, from western Thailand is described. This blood fluke differs from the 2 previously known species of Spirhapalum in its larger overall body size, constricted mid-body, greater number of pre-ovarian testes, ceca that loop anteriorly from the cecal bifurcation before turning to the posterior, and the relatively smaller size of its ventral sucker. A phylogenetic analysis using molecular characters places the new species in the basal clade of tetrapod blood flukes, more derived than Spirhapalum polesianum, but less derived than Spirorchis spp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Helminth / chemistry
  • DNA, Helminth / isolation & purification
  • Heart / parasitology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Alignment / veterinary
  • Thailand
  • Trematoda / anatomy & histology
  • Trematoda / classification*
  • Trematoda / genetics
  • Trematode Infections / parasitology
  • Trematode Infections / veterinary*
  • Turtles / parasitology*

Substances

  • DNA, Helminth

Associated data

  • GENBANK/FJ481163
  • GENBANK/FJ481165
  • GENBANK/FJ481166