1. The taxonomic position ofAnoplotaenia dasyuri(Cestoda) as inferred from molecular sequences
- Author
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Xiaocheng Zhu, Diane P. Barton, Shokoofeh Shamsi, and Vanessa Lee
- Subjects
biology ,Phylogenetic tree ,Cestoda ,biology.organism_classification ,Incertae sedis ,Infectious Diseases ,Sarcophilus ,Phylogenetics ,Genus ,Evolutionary biology ,28S ribosomal RNA ,Tasmanian devil ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Parasitology - Abstract
Anoplotaenia dasyuriBeddard, 1911 (Cestoda), from the Tasmanian devil,Sarcophilus harrisii(Boitard, 1842), is a taxonomic enigma, where a combination of morphological features, host type and geographical location have prevented it from being placed within a family and it is consideredincertae sedis, despite its accepted validity. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of threeA. dasyurispecimens collected from three Tasmanian devils using 18S and 28S rRNA sequences.Anoplotaenia dasyuriwas found to have closest affinity with the family Paruterinidae, especially the genusCladotaeniaCohn, 1901. The postulated theory of transfer of an ancestor ofAnoplotaeniaBeddard, 1911 transferring to the Tasmanian devil from an unrelated carnivorous host, such as an accipitriform or other carnivorous bird, is discussed and supported.
- Published
- 2021