Abstract
As part of a biodiversity study in northwestern Hungary, we conducted a parasitological survey of small mammals. In both common shrews (Sorex araneus Linnaeus) and pygmy shrews (Sorex minutus Linnaeus), we found myxospores of a species of Soricimyxum Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007 (Myxosporea) and plasmodia in the bile ducts within the liver. Spores from both species of shrewswere morphologically and morphometrically indistinguishable, but differed in their SSU rRNA gene sequences by 3.3%. We identified spores and developmental stages from the common shrew as Soricimyxum fegati Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007, based on morphometric data and DNA sequence similarity. Spores from the pygmy shrew were only 96.7% similar to S. fegati, hence we identified them as a novel myxosporean Soricimyxum minuti sp. n. This is only the second myxosporean parasite species described from mammals.
Highlights
Myxosporeans are generally known as parasites of aquatic vertebrates, primarily fishes, and amphibians and reptiles (Laveran 1897, Eiras 2005)
We found infections in two shrew species, common shrew S. araneus and pygmy shrew S. minutus and we describe a new species of Soricimyxum Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007, S. minuti sp. n. from pygmy shrew
SSU rDNA sequence data provided the ultimate clarification of identities of myxospores from the two shrew species
Summary
Myxosporeans are generally known as parasites of aquatic vertebrates, primarily fishes, and amphibians and reptiles (Laveran 1897, Eiras 2005). Prunescu et al (2007) described unambiguous myxozoan developmental stages and mature Myxidium/Zschokella-type myxospores from the parenchyma and the intrahepatic bile ducts in the common shrew Sorex araneus Linnaeus, in Poland. This novel parasite, Soricimyxum fegati Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007, was classified into a new genus to reflect the heretofore atypical vertebrate host. Subsequent survey work in the Czech Republic showed the host range of the parasite included common shrews, and pygmy shrews Sorex minutus Linnaeus, and the lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas) (Dyková et al 2007, 2011). We found infections in two shrew species, common shrew S. araneus and pygmy shrew S. minutus and we describe a new species of Soricimyxum Prunescu, Prunescu, Pucek et Lom, 2007, S. minuti sp. n. from pygmy shrew
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