Diversity, phylogeny and evolution of cichlid parasites.
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | African Cichlidae are parasitized by 5 genera of monogeneans (Cichlidogyrus, Scutogyrus, Onchobdella, Enterogyrus and Urogyrus). The study was aimed to investigate (1) the diversity of monogeneans parasitizing African Cichlidae in Senegal, (2) phylogenies of cichlids and their monogeneans, and (3) host-parasite coevolution. A total of 28 species were found on cichlids in Senegal, among them two new species were described (Řehulková et al., unpublished). Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyletic origin of the Cichlidogyrus/Scutogyrus group, and suggested that Cichlidogyrus is polyphyletic and Scutogyrus is monophyletic. The phylogeny of Cichlidae supported the separation of mouthbrooders and substrate-brooders and is consistent with the hypothesis that the mouthbrooding behavior of evolved from substrate-brooding behavior. The results of cophylogenetic analyses suggest the parasite duplications and host switches on related cichlid host species (Mendlová et al., 2012). In the following step, the study of evolution and determinants of host specifity will be performed. The new study on diversity and phylogeny of cichlid parasites in Lake Tanganyika is programmed to start in 2013. |
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