Molecular characterization and morphological description of cryptic haemoproteids in the laughingthrushes (Leiothrichidae) in the western and eastern Himalaya, India.

ABSTRACT: Background: Laughingthrushes (family: Leiothrichidae) consists of diverse and widespread species found in the Indian subcontinent but there is a lack of information on their avian haemosporidians.  Methods: We sampled 231 laughingthrushes of 8 species in the western and eastern Himalaya in India. Using parasite morphology and cytochrome b sequences we describe 2 new Haemoproteus species harbored in 3 species of laughingthrushes and report a case of cryptic speciation. Results: First Haemoproteus lineage TROERY01 (GenBank: KY623720) found in Trochalopteron erythrocephalum (27.47%) and Trochalopteron variegatum (2.9%) in mid to high altitude tropical forests in the western and eastern Himalaya, was described as Haemoproteus (Parahaem

SUBMITTER: Ishtiaq F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6221074 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature