Nuclear and Mitochondrial SSU rRNA Genes Reveal Hidden Diversity of Haptophrya Endosymbionts in Freshwater Planarians and Challenge Their Traditional Classification in Astomatia.

ABSTRACT: Like many other aquatic animals, freshwater planarians have also become partners of symbiotic ciliates from the class Oligohymenophorea. In the present study, we explored the hidden diversity and addressed the questionable systematic position of mouthless obligatory gut endosymbionts of freshwater planarians, using the nuclear and mitochondrial SSU rRNA genes. Although all isolated ciliates morphologically corresponded to a single species, molecular analyses suggested the existence of three genetically distinct entities: Haptophrya planariarum, Haptophrya dugesiarum nov. spec., and Haptophrya schmidtearum nov. spec. The two former species share the same planarian host, which indicates a speciation model involving one duplication event without host switching. Such a div

SUBMITTER: Rataj M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9048206 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature