<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Mermithidae is a family of nematodes that parasitize a wide range of invertebrates worldwide. Herein, we report nematodes that were unexpectedly found in three of 486 adult stable flies (<italic>Stomoxys calcitrans</italic>) captured from three farms (F1, F2, and F3) in different regions of Gifu Prefecture, Japan. We aimed to characterize these nematodes both at the morphological and molecular level. Morphological studies revealed that the nematodes were juveniles of Mermithidae. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S and 28S rDNA indicated that the mermithids from farms F1 and F2 could be categorized into the same cluster as <italic>Ovomermis sinensis</italic> and <italic>Hexamermis</italic> sp., whereas the mermithid from farm F3 clustered with <italic>Amphimermis</italic> sp. Additionally, these mermithids could be categorized within the same clusters as related mermithids detected in Japan that parasitize various arthropod orders. Our findings suggest that these stable flies may have been parasitized by mermithids already present in the region and that genetically distinct species of mermithids occur across Japan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mermithids parasitizing adult stable flies in Japan.</p>
</abstract>

Mermithidae is a family of nematodes that parasitize a wide range of invertebrates worldwide. Herein, we report nematodes that were unexpectedly found in three of 486 adult stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) captured from three farms (F1, F2, and F3) in different regions of Gifu Prefecture, Japan. We aimed to characterize these nematodes both at the morphological and molecular level. Morphological studies revealed that the nematodes were juveniles of Mermithidae. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S and 28S rDNA indicated that the mermithids from farms F1 and F2 could be categorized into the same cluster as Ovomermis sinensis and Hexamermis sp., whereas the mermithid from farm F3 clustered with Amphimermis sp. Additionally, these mermithids could be categorized within the same clusters as related mermithids detected in Japan that parasitize various arthropod orders. Our findings suggest that these stable flies may have been parasitized by mermithids already present in the region and that genetically distinct species of mermithids occur across Japan. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mermithids parasitizing adult stable flies in Japan.

First Report of Mermithidae (Enoplea: Mermithida) Parasitizing Adult Stable Flies in Japan

Education and Research Center for Food Animal Health

Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences

Center for One Medicine Innovative Translation Research (COMIT)

Journal of Nematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mermithidae is a family of nematodes that parasitize a wide range of invertebrates worldwide. Herein, we report nematodes that were unexpectedly found in three...

First Report of Mermithidae (Enoplea: Mermithida) Parasitizing Adult Stable Flies in Japan

Article Category: Research Paper

Online veröffentlicht: 25. Mai 2024

Seitenbereich: -

Eingereicht: 15. Feb. 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2024-0022

Schlüsselwörter
blood-feeding pests, genetics, host–parasite relationship, insect parasitism, Mermithidae, stable fly

© 2024 Kaori Shimizu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Report of Mermithidae (Enoplea: Mermithida) Parasitizing Adult Stable Flies in Japan

Article Category: Research Paper

Online veröffentlicht: 25. Mai 2024

Seitenbereich: -

Eingereicht: 15. Feb. 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2024-0022

Schlüsselwörterblood-feeding pests, genetics, host–parasite relationship, insect parasitism, Mermithidae, stable fly

© 2024 Kaori Shimizu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Schlüsselwörter
blood-feeding pests, genetics, host–parasite relationship, insect parasitism, Mermithidae, stable fly