Distribution of large lungworms (Nematoda: Dictyocaulidae) in free-roaming populations of red deer Cervus elaphus (L.) with the description of Dictyocaulus skrjabini n. sp.

Abstract Lungworms of the genus Dictyocaulus are causative agents of parasitic bronchitis in domestic and wild ungulates. This study investigates the distribution, morphology and genetic diversity of D. cervi and a new lungworm species, Dictyocaulus skrjabini n. sp. infecting red deer Cervus elaphus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology
Main Authors: Pyziel, Anna Maria, Laskowski, Zdzisław, Klich, Daniel, Demiaszkiewicz, Aleksander Wiaczesław, Kaczor, Stanisław, Merta, Dorota, Kobielski, Janusz, Nowakowska, Julita, Anusz, Krzysztof, Höglund, Johan
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2023
Subjects:
Alces alces
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003118202300080x
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003118202300080X
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Summary:Abstract Lungworms of the genus Dictyocaulus are causative agents of parasitic bronchitis in domestic and wild ungulates. This study investigates the distribution, morphology and genetic diversity of D. cervi and a new lungworm species, Dictyocaulus skrjabini n. sp. infecting red deer Cervus elaphus , fallow deer Dama dama and moose Alces alces in Poland and Sweden. The study was conducted on 167 red deer from Poland and on the DNA of lungworms derived from 7 fallow deer, 4 red deer and 2 moose collected in Sweden. The prevalence of D. cervi and D. skrjabini n. sp. in dissected red deer in Poland was 31.1% and 7.2%, respectively. Moreover, D. skrjabini n. sp. was confirmed molecularly in 7 isolates of fallow deer lungworms and 1 isolate of red deer lungworms from Sweden. Dictyocaulus skrjabini n. sp. was established based on combination of their distinct molecular and morphological features; these included the length of cephalic vesicle, buccal capsule (BC), buccal capsule wall (BCW), distance from anterior extremity to the nerve ring, the width of head, oesophagus, cephalic vesicle, BC and BCW, as well as the dimensions of reproductive organs of male and female. Additionally, molecular analyses revealed 0.9% nucleotide sequence divergence for 1,605 bp SSU rDNA, and 16.5–17.3% nucleotide sequence divergence for 642 bp mitochondrial cyt B between D. skrjabini n. sp. and D. cervi , respectively, and 18.7–19% between D. skrjabini n. sp. and D. eckerti , which translates into 18.2–18.7% amino acid sequence divergence between D. skrjabini n. sp. and both lungworms.

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