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Cosmocerca goroensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) from South Africa and its phylogenetic relationships with other cosmocercids based on partial 28S sequences

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Abstract

Nematodes of the genus Cosmocerca are commonly found in various amphibians in South Africa and in most cases are identified as C. ornata. However, after detailed morphological studies and molecular approaches, three new species of the genus were recently described from three different frogs in South Africa. In present study, we describe another new species – Cosmocerca goroensis parasitising the Northern Pygmy Toad Poyntonophrynus fenoulheti in Soutpansberg mountains, Limpopo province, South Africa. The new species is characterised by prominent sex dimorphism, wide lateral alae, numerous somatic papillae in both sexes, and wide triangularly shaped gubernaculum and simple prominent spicules in males. Cosmocerca goroensis n. sp. distinguished from congeners, previously reported in Southern Africa by the shape of the gubernaculum and arrangement of somatic papillae in males. Morphological differences were confirmed by molecular analysis based on fragments of the 28S gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 28S gene fragments, including C. goroensis n. sp. and newly obtained sequence of C. ornata from Pelophylax lessonae from Ukraine, supported previously known data of closer relationships between species of Cosmocerca and Aplectana and more distant with Cosmocercoides spp.

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Acknowledgements

The study was financially supported by Grant of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for research laboratories/groups of young scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for conducting research in the priority areas of development of science and technology in 2022-2023. Roman Svitin and Yuriy Kuzmin wish to express their sincere thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the ability to continue research in Ukraine even during the full-scale Russian aggression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, 15 Bogdan Khmelnytskyi Street, Kyiv, 01030, Ukraine

    Roman Svitin & Yuriy Kuzmin

  2. African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

    Roman Svitin, Yuriy Kuzmin, Florence Harnoster, Teneal Nel & Louis du Preez

  3. Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Educational and Scientific Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 4G Hlushkova Avenue, Kyiv, 03022, Ukraine

    Roman Svitin

  4. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa

    Louis du Preez

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  1. Roman Svitin
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  2. Yuriy Kuzmin
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  3. Florence Harnoster
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  4. Teneal Nel
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Contributions

RS, TN, FH, YK and LdP collected amphibians and nematodes. RS, FH, TN and YK completed the morphological part of the species study. FH, TN and RS completed the molecular part of the study. All authors reviewed the text of the manuscript and images.

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Correspondence to Roman Svitin.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All applicable institutional, national and international guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. North-West University ethics approval no NWU-00380-16-A5.

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Svitin, R., Kuzmin, Y., Harnoster, F. et al. Cosmocerca goroensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) from South Africa and its phylogenetic relationships with other cosmocercids based on partial 28S sequences. Syst Parasitol 100, 601–610 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-023-10109-0

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