Molecular Characterization of Gymnorhynchus isuri Robinson, 1959 (Gymnorhynchidae) Infecting the Sharptail Mola Masturus lanceolatus (Liénard, 1840) from off the Coast of Kerala, India

Abstract

The cestode family Gymnorhynchidae (Trypanorhyncha) comprises three genera and six valid species that, as adults, are all intestinal parasites of large pelagic sharks. Their life cycle has not been elucidated yet, but it has been proposed that copepods serve as first, pelagic euphausiids or schooling fish as second, and larger predatory fishes as third intermediate hosts. Molidae fish have been proposed as intermediate hosts for at least two gymnorhynchid species (i.e., Molicola horridus and M. uncinatus). During a parasitological survey of fish from the coast of Kerala (India), some individuals of a gymnorhynchid species were found in a sharptail mola Masturus lanceolatus. Parasites were located on the subcapsular tissue of liver showing a serpiginous route. Based on 28S rDNA molecular and phylogenetic analysis, parasites were identified as Gymnorhynchus isuri, which resulted genetically identical to G. isuri obtained from the liver of a sun fish Mola mola in the Mediterranean Sea.