Morphological vs. molecular identification of trematode species infecting the edible cockle Cerastoderma edule across Europe.

ABSTRACT: Identifying marine trematode parasites in host tissue can be complicated when there is limited morphological differentiation between species infecting the same host species. This poses a challenge for regular surveys of the parasite communities in species of socio-economic and ecological importance. Our study focused on identifying digenean trematode species infecting the marine bivalve Cerastoderma edule across Europe by comparing morphological and molecular species identification methods. Cockles were sampled from ten locations to observe the trematode parasites under a stereomicroscope (morphological identification) and to isolate individuals for phylogenetic analyses using two gene markers, the small sub-unit ribosomal (18S) RNA gene (SSU rDNA) and the mitochondrial cytochrome <

SUBMITTER: Stout L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11648788 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature