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. 2019 Aug 23;14(8):e0221662.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221662. eCollection 2019.

A morphological, molecular and life cycle study of the capybara parasite Hippocrepis hippocrepis (Trematoda: Notocotylidae)

Jordana C A Assis  1 , Danimar Lopez-Hernández  1 , Eduardo A Pulido-Murillo  1 , Alan L Melo  1 , Hudson A Pinto  1
Affiliations

A morphological, molecular and life cycle study of the capybara parasite Hippocrepis hippocrepis (Trematoda: Notocotylidae)

Jordana C A Assis et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Hippocrepis hippocrepis is a notocotylid that has been widely reported in capybaras; however, the molluscs that act as intermediate hosts of this parasite remain unknown. Furthermore, there are currently no molecular data available for H. hippocrepis regarding its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the family Notocotylidae. In the present study, we collected monostome cercariae and adult parasites from the planorbid Biomphalaria straminea and in the large intestine of capybaras, respectively, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We subjected them to morphological and molecular (amplification and sequencing of partial regions of 28S and cox-1 genes) studies. Adult parasites collected from the capybaras were identified as H. hippocrepis and the sequences obtained for both molecular markers showed 100% similarity with monostome cercariae found in B. straminea. The sequences obtained for H. hippocrepis were compared with data available in public databases; analysis revealed this species differs from other notocotylids with available sequences (1.5-3.8% with respect to 28S and 11.4%-13.8% with respect to cox-1). On the phylogenetic analyses, H. hippocrepis appeared to be a distinct lineage in relation to other notocotylids. Some ecological aspects related to the infection of capybaras with H. hippocrepis are briefly discussed.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Hippocrepis hippocrepis: Larval stages found in Biomphalaria straminea from Brazil.
Cercaria (A–C), cercaria at initial stage of encystment (D). Encysted metacercaria (E). Mature redia (F). Scale bars: (A-E) 50 μm, (F) 100 μm.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Hippocrepis hippocrepis: Adult parasites recovered in Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris from Brazil.
Whole view of the parasite (A, B). Detail of spined cirrus (C). Detail of tegument bearing scale-like spines (D). Egg of parasites with long polar filament (E). Detail of egg capsule containing the miracidium (F). Scale bars: (A-B) 100 μm, (C) 200 μm, (D) 20 μm, (E) 100 μm, (F) 20 μm.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Phylogenetic relationship between Hippocrepis hippocrepis (in bold) and other species of the superfamily Pronocephaloidea, as inferred from sequences of 28S rDNA analyzed by Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods.
Nodal support is indicated as BI/ML; values < 0.90 (BI) and < 50 (ML) are indicated by a dash. Asterisks indicate clades that were not present in tree obtained by ML.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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