Biology subjects

Bert, W.

Publications and source records attributed to Bert, W..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Phylogenomic Insights into the Evolution and Origin of Nematoda

The phylum Nematoda represents one of the most cosmopolitan and abundant metazoan groups on Earth. In this study, we reconstructed the phylogenomic tree for phylum Nematoda. A total of 60 genomes, belonging to eight nematode orders, were newly sequenced, providing the first low-coverage genomes for the orders Dorylaimida, Mononchida, Monhysterida, Chromadorida, Triplonchida, and Enoplida. The resulting phylogeny is well-resolved across most clades, with topologies remaining consistent across various reconstruction parameters. The subclass Enoplia is placed as a sister group to the rest of Nematoda, agrees with previous published phylogenies. While the order Triplonchida is monophyletic, it is not well-supported, and the order Enoplida is paraphyletic. Taxa possessing a stomatostylet form a monophyletic group; however, the superfamily Aphelenchoidea does not constitute a monophyletic clade. The genera Trichinella and Trichuris are inferred to have shared a common ancestor approximately 202 mya, a considerably later period than previously suggested. All stomatostylet-bearing nematodes are proposed to have originated [~]305 mya, corresponding to the transition from the Devonian to the Permian period. The genus Thornia is placed outside of Dorylaimina and Nygolaimina, disagreeing with its position in previous studies. Additionally, we tested the whole genome amplification method and demonstrated that it is a promising strategy for obtaining sufficient DNA for phylogenomic studies of microscopic eukaryotes. This study significantly expanded the current nematode genome dataset, and the well-resolved phylogeny enhances our understanding of the evolution of Nematoda.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2023

Pellioditis pelhami n. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) and Pellioditis pellio (Schneider, 1866), earthworm associates from different subclades within Pellioditis (syn. Phasmarhabditis Andrassy, 1976)

Recently, much attention has been focused on a group of rhabditid nematodes called Phasmarhabditis, a junior synonym of Pellioditis, as a promising source of biocontrol agents for invasive slugs. Pellioditis pelhami n. sp. was first isolated from earthworms near Pelham Bay Park in Bronx, New York, USA, in 1990 and has been found to be pathogenic to slugs as well as some earthworms. It has also been used in several comparative developmental studies. Here, we provide a description of this species, as well as a redescription of a similar earthworm-associated nematode, Pellioditis pellio Schneider, 1866, re-isolated from the type locality. Although P. pelhami n. sp. and P. pellio are morphologically similar, they are reproductively isolated. Molecular phylogenetic analysis places both species in a clade that includes all species previously described as Phasmarhabditis which are associated with gastropods. Phasmarhabditis Andrassy, 1976 is therefore a junior synonym of Pellioditis Dougherty, 1953. Also, P. bohemica Nermut, P[u][z]a, Mekete & Mra[c]ek, 2017, described to be a facultative parasite of slugs, is found to be a junior synonym of Pellioditis pellio (Schneider, 1866), adding to evidence that P. pellio is associated with both slugs and earthworms. The earthworm-associated species P. pelhami n. sp. and P. pellio represent different subclades within Pellioditis, suggesting that Pellioditis species in general have a broader host range than just slugs. Because of this, caution is warranted in using these species as biological control agents until more is understood about their ecology.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2023

All Quiet on the Western Front? The evolutionary history of monogeneans (Dactylogyridae: Cichlidogyrus, Onchobdella) infecting a West and Central African tribe of cichlid fishes (Chromidotilapiini)

Owing to the largely unexplored diversity of metazoan parasites, their speciation mechanisms and the circumstances under which such speciation occurs--in allopatry or sympatry--remain vastly understudied. Cichlids and their monogenean flatworm parasites have previously served as study system for macroevolutionary processes, e.g. for the role of East African host radiations on parasite communities. Here, we investigate the diversity and evolution of the poorly explored monogeneans infecting a West and Central African lineage of cichlid fishes: Chromidotilapiini Greenwood, 1987, which is the most species-rich tribe of cichlids in this region. We screened gills of 149 host specimens (27 species) from natural history collections and measured systematically informative characters of the sclerotised attachment and reproductive organs of the parasites. Ten monogenean species (Dactylogyridae: Cichlidogyrus and Onchobdella) were found, eight of which are described and one redescribed herein. The phylogenetic positions of chromidotilapiines-infecting species of Cichlidogyrus were inferred through a parsimony analysis of the morphological characters. Furthermore, we employed machine learning algorithms to detect morphological features associated with the main lineages of Cichlidogyrus. Although the results of these experimental algorithms remain inconclusive, the parsimony analysis indicates that West and Central African lineages of Cichlidogyrus and Onchobdella are monophyletic, unlike the paraphyletic host lineages. Several instances of host sharing suggest occurrences of intra-host speciation (sympatry) and host switching (allopatry). Some morphological variation was recorded that may also indicate the presence of species complexes. We conclude that collection material can provide important insights on parasite evolution despite the lack of well-preserved DNA material. Data availability statementType material was deposited in the invertebrate collection of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Tervuren, Belgium) (RMCA) (RMCA_VERMES_XXXXX-XXX), the collection of the Research Group Zoology: Biodiversity and Toxicology of Hasselt University (Diepenbeek, Belgium) (HU XXX-XXX), the Finnish Museum of Natural History (Helsinki, Finland) (MZH XXXXX-XXX), and the Iziko South African Museum (Cape Town, South Africa) (SAMC-XXXXXXX-XXX). The morphological data that support the findings of this study are openly available in MorphoBank at www.morphobank.org, at https://dx.doi.org/XXXXXXXX. Phylogenetic trees and data matrices for the analysis in TNT are included as additional data in MorphoBank.

evolutionary biology↗