Abstract
Cophylogenetic studies aim at testing specific hypotheses to understand the nature of coevolving associations between sets of organisms, such as host and parasites. Monogeneans and their hosts provide and interesting platform for these studies due to their high host specificity. In this context, the objective of the present study was to establish whether the relationship between Anacanthorus spp. with their hosts from the upper Paraná River and its tributaries can be explained by means of cospeciation processes. Nine fish species and 14 monogenean species, most of them host specific, were studied. Partial DNA sequences of the genes RAG1, 16S and COI of the fish hosts and of the genes ITS2, COI and 5.8S of the parasite species were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees of the host and parasite species were built and used for analyses of topological congruence with PACo and ParaFit. The program Jane was used to estimate the nature of cospeciation events. The comparison of the two phylogenies revealed high topological congruence between them. Both PACo and ParaFit supported the hypothesis of global cospeciation. Results from Jane pointed to duplications as the most frequent coevolutionary event, followed by cospeciation, whereas duplications followed by host-switching were the least common event in Anacanthorus spp. studied. Host-sharing (spreading) was also identified but only between congeneric host species.
Highlights
Cophylogenetic studies have been pursued by researchers since the 19th century
The study area belongs to the flood plain of the upper Parana River, an environmentally preserved area extending across the states of Parana (PR) and Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil
The Anacanthorus species were grouped in three large clades, each associated with a host family
Summary
Cophylogenetic studies have been pursued by researchers since the 19th century. Many works have focused on testing specific hypotheses to determine which coevolutionary events gave rise to the patterns of association between hosts and parasites observed [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Congruence between phylogenies of Anacanthorus spp. and Characiformes hosts. Aquicultura (NUPELIA – UEM), the financial support of CAPES, CNPq 446150/2014-2 and PELD-CNPq Site 6. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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