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A new Platynosomoides (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) parasitic in the sigmodontine rodent Akodon cursor from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, with the first molecular genetic characterization from a species within the genus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2026

A.J.R. Dias Open the ORCID record for A.J.R. Dias [Opens in a new window] ,
D.S. Lemes Open the ORCID record for D.S. Lemes [Opens in a new window] ,
B.E. Andrade-Silva Open the ORCID record for B.E. Andrade-Silva [Opens in a new window] ,
R.V. Vilela Open the ORCID record for R.V. Vilela [Opens in a new window] ,
J.L. Luque Alejos Open the ORCID record for J.L. Luque Alejos [Opens in a new window] ,
A. Maldonado Júnior Open the ORCID record for A. Maldonado Júnior [Opens in a new window]  and
R.O. Simões Open the ORCID record for R.O. Simões [Opens in a new window]
A.J.R. Dias
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
D.S. Lemes
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
B.E. Andrade-Silva
Affiliation:
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
R.V. Vilela
Affiliation:
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
J.L. Luque Alejos
Affiliation:
Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
A. Maldonado Júnior
Affiliation:
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
R.O. Simões*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Parasitologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
*
Corresponding author: R.d.O. Simões; Email: raquel83vet@gmail.com
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Abstract

We describe a new species of the genus Platynosomoides Yamaguti, 1971 (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) from the bile ducts of the cricetid Akodon cursor (Winge, 1887) (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) from Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, PNI), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The species is characterized by the following diagnostic features: body size; dimensions and relative proportions of the testes in relation to the body length; extracecal and asymmetrical vitelline glands commencing at the level of the acetabulum, the left vitellarium terminating at the mid-region of the second third of the body, and the right one extending to the anterior margin of the posterior third; and the relative size of the suckers, with the ventral sucker being approximately 60% larger than the oral sucker. The morphological characteristics were described with the assistance of optical microscopy images to observe the internal structures, and their external details were provided by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rRNA gene were conducted to assess the phylogenetic placement of the genus within Dicrocoeliidae. These analyses accompany the description of Platynosomoides macrotestis sp. nov. and contribute to a better understanding of trematode diversity. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of parasitological research in conserving helminth biodiversity. Its occurrence in conservation areas, such as the PNI, supports the maintenance of unique ecological interactions and species conservation.

Keywords

Integrative taxonomyPlatyhelminthesRodentiawildlife

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 100 , 2026 , e40
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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