Sexually anomalous individuals of the black fly Simulium trangense (Diptera: Simuliidae) infected with mermithid parasites (Nematoda: Mermithidae)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2021
Abstract
Sexually anomalous individuals, typically intersexes or gynandromorphs, bear a mixture of male and female traits. Twelve sexually anomalous individuals of the black fly Simulium (Gomphostilbia) trangense Jitklang, Kuvangkadilok, Baimai, Takaoka & Adler were discovered among 49 adults reared from pupae. All 12 sexually anomalous adults were parasitized by mermithid nematodes, although five additional parasitized adults had no overt external anomalies. Sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA gene revealed that the mermithids, possibly representing a new species, are related to Mesomermis spp., with genetic distances of 5.09-6.87%. All 12 anomalous individuals had female phenotypical traits on the head, thorax, forelegs, midlegs, and claws, but male features on the left and right hind basitarsi. One individual had mixed male and female genitalia. The findings are in accord with the trend that mermithid infections are associated with sexually anomalous adult black flies.
Keywords
Simulium, Black fly, Sexual anomalies, Vector, Infectious diseases, Mermithid nematodes
Divisions
fac_med,InstituteofBiologicalSciences,tidrec
Funders
Ministry of Education, Malaysia, under the Higher Institution Center of Excellence (HICoE) niche area vector and vector-borne diseases [MO002-2019],Fundamental Research Grant scheme [FP024-2019A],United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) [SC-1700527]
Publication Title
Parasitology Research
Volume
120
Issue
5
Publisher
Springer Verlag (Germany)
Publisher Location
ONE NEW YORK PLAZA, SUITE 4600, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES