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A phylogenetic assessment of the colonisation patterns in Spauligodon atlanticus Astasio-Arbiza et al., 1987 (Nematoda: Oxyurida: Pharyngodonidae), a parasite of lizards of the genus Gallotia Boulenger: no simple answers

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Abstract

Parasite taxonomy traditionally relies on morphometric and life-cycle characteristics which may not reflect complex phylogenetic relationships. However, genetic analyses can reveal cryptic species within morphologically described parasite taxa. We analysed the phylogenetic variation within the nematode Spauligodon atlanticus Astasio-Arbiza, Zapatero-Ramos, Ojeda-Rosas & Solera-Puertas, 1987, a parasite of the Canarian lizard genus Gallotia Boulenger, inferring the origin of their current association. We also attempted to determine its relationship with other Spauligodon spp. Three different markers, mitochondrial COI plus nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA, were used to estimate the evolutionary relationships between these nematodes. S. atlanticus was found to be paraphyletic, suggesting that Gallotia spp. were colonised by two independent lineages of Spauligodon. Additional analyses of other Spauligodon spp. are required for a more complete interpretation of the evolution of this genus from the Canarian archipelago and its closest taxa. Our results emphasise the importance of extensive sampling and phylogenetic studies at the intrageneric level, and highlight the limitations of a morphologically based taxonomy in these parasites.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded through a Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia project (no. BIA-BDE/67678/2006) and postdoctoral grant to AP (no. SFRH/BPD/26546/2006). We thank Cabildo Insular of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro for collection permits. Thanks are also due to Alexander Koenig Research Museum, especially Philipp Wagner and Dr Wolfgang Böhme for permission to study their specimens. We are grateful to Marine Arakelyan for her help with the Armenian specimens. Special thanks go to Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou, Daniele Salvi and other colleagues from CIBIO for their help with this work.

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  1. CIBIO-UP, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal

    Fátima Jorge, Ana Perera, D. James Harris & Miguel A. Carretero

  2. Departament de Zoología, Facultat de Ciències Biològiques, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain

    Vicente Roca

  3. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, 4099-002, Porto, Portugal

    D. James Harris

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  1. Fátima Jorge
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  2. Vicente Roca
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Correspondence to Fátima Jorge.

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Jorge, F., Roca, V., Perera, A. et al. A phylogenetic assessment of the colonisation patterns in Spauligodon atlanticus Astasio-Arbiza et al., 1987 (Nematoda: Oxyurida: Pharyngodonidae), a parasite of lizards of the genus Gallotia Boulenger: no simple answers. Syst Parasitol 80, 53–66 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-011-9311-1

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