Molecular identification of Anisakis species from Pleuronectiformes off the Portuguese coast

Abstract

Anisakid nematodes belonging to the Anisakis simplex complex are highly prevalent in several fish species off the coast of Portugal and are an important zoonotic problem in the Iberian Peninsula. Two reproductively isolated sibling species of the Anisakis simplex complex were identified from Pleuronectiformes inhabiting the Portuguese coast using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Recombinant genotypes corresponding to presumptive Anisakis simplex sensu stricto and Anisakis pegreffii hybrids were also detected by this technique, as well as the species Anisakis typica. Although 25 species of Pleuronectiformes were investigated, Anisakis spp. larvae were only found in seven: Arnoglossus imperialis, Arnoglossus laterna, Lepidorhombus boscii, Citharus linguatula, Platichthys flesus, Dicologlossa cuneata and Solea senegalensis. The occurrence of hybrids in relatively sedentary fishes such as the Pleuronectiformes suggests that the Portuguese coast may constitute an area of hybridization and, therefore, is of particular interest for the study of the process of hybridization and speciation for these anisakids.

Anisakis simplex: from Obscure Infectious Worm to Inducer of Immune Hypersensitivity

“…A similar pattern has been observed for Phocanema decipiens nematode species complexes (P. decipiens A, B, and C) (207). Recently, studies around the Portuguese coast reported two reproductively isolated sibling species of the A. simplex complex from Pleuronectiformes (flatfish) by use of DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms (175). There have been no studies investigating the possibility of diversity within the species, subspecies, or strains of the above-mentioned parasites in the diseases they elicit, which will be further complicated by the high degree of polymorphism of immune genes in humans.…”

Parasites as biological tags for stock identification of blackspot seabream, <i>Pagellus bogaraveo</i>, in Portuguese northeast Atlantic waters

“…seem to be characteristic of the Atlantic part of the Iberian Peninsula, and have been detected in numerous other fish from this region (Abollo et al 2003, Marques et al 2006, Sequeira et al 2010. The significantly lower relative abundance of this species complex in fish from the Azores, and the again significantly lower relative abundance in Madeira, make it a good indicator of P. bogaraveo provenance.…”

Parasites of marine, freshwater and farmed fishes of Portugal: a review

“…typica (Diesing, 1860), Pagellus bogaraveo, Platichthys flesus, most larvae encapsulated in fish body cavity, mesenteries, on the ouside of the viscera, digestive tract, Marques et al (2006a, 2010), Hermida et al (2012b.…”

“…Hysterothylacium sp., Microchirus azevia, Micromesistius poutassou, Pagellus bogaraveo, Pegusa lascaris (=Solea lascaris), Trachurus trachurus, digestive tract, liver, muscles, encapsulated in body cavity and outside of the viscera, Cruz et al (2005Cruz et al ( , 2007, Marques et al (2006a), Hermida et al (2012a.…”

“…Macvicaria soleae (Dujardin, 1845) Gibson & Bray, 1982, Dicologlossa cuneata, Microchirus azevia, M. variegatus Durieux et al (2007), Marques et al (2006aMarques et al ( , 2010Marques et al ( , 2011.…”