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Description and molecular characterization of Haemoproteus macrovacuolatus n. sp. (Haemosporida, Haemoproteidae), a morphologically unique blood parasite of black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) from South America

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Abstract

During a surveillance programme on avian influenza in wild birds in the east of Colombia, 42 % of examined wild black-bellied whistling ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) were infected with undescribed Haemoproteus sp., which macrogametocytes possess one or several huge (2.5 μm in largest diameter) conspicuous roundish vacuoles, a unique character of avian haemoproteids. This parasite is named Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) macrovacuolatus and described here using data on the morphology of its gametocytes, host cells and sequences of the complete mitochondrial genome and cytochrome b fragments. Illustrations of blood stages of the new species and DNA sequence information are provided. The phylogenetic analysis identified a closely related lineage C033, reported in South Asian ducks belonging to Dendrocygna. We also found that all Haemoproteus lineages from Passeriformes conformed a monophyletic group. Whereas we cannot exclude that this pattern could be an artefact of the limited taxonomic sampling in non-passeriform birds, thus this finding is worthy of attention. This study adds to our knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships among species of avian haemoproteids and describes a new haemoparasite in a non-passerine host.

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Acknowledgments

We thank J. Perez, I. Bernal and F. González who conducted field work, C. Saavedra for project coordination, P. Franco, Head of Colombia Program of Environmental and Sustainable Development Ministry, C. Rodríguez, Professional of Forests, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Office, T. Tovar, P. Quiroga, A. González and I. Lotta for their help with laboratory analyses, T. Iezhova for technical assistance during preparation of Figs. 1–24. Funding for field work was provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society. A. A. Escalante is supported by the grant R01GM080586 from the US National Institute of Health. This study was conducted under the Colombian surveillance programme (agreement no. 27 of 2012) for avian influenza and other avian diseases established by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS) from the Republic of Colombia and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá Carrera 30 No. 45‐03, Bogotá, Colombia

    Nubia E. Matta

  2. Center for Evolutionary Medicine and Informatics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    M. Andreína Pacheco & Ananias A. Escalante

  3. Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, Vilnius-21, LT-08412, Lithuania

    Gediminas Valkiūnas

  4. Wildlife Health and Health Policy Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Calle 2, No. 42-23, Cali, Colombia

    Fernando Ayerbe-Quiñones & Luz Dary Acevedo-Cendales

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  1. Nubia E. Matta
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Matta, N.E., Pacheco, M.A., Escalante, A.A. et al. Description and molecular characterization of Haemoproteus macrovacuolatus n. sp. (Haemosporida, Haemoproteidae), a morphologically unique blood parasite of black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) from South America. Parasitol Res 113, 2991–3000 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-3961-2

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