Molecular characterization and morphology of Philonema onchorhynchi (Nematoda: Philometridae), a parasite infecting the Nile perch (Lates niloticus) in Egypt with some of its histopathological effects.

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

The present study aimed to detect the helminth parasites from the Nile Perch Lates niloticus Linnaeus, 1758 collected from Manzala lake in Damietta province, Egypt. Twenty-six (34.7%) of 75 fish samples were found infected with one species of nematode Philonema onchorhynchi Kuitunen-Ekbaum, 1933 (Family: Philometridae). The mean intensity was (0.51±0.79) and relative density (0.50) with no significant difference (𝑃>0.05) in the infection between male and female hosts. Partial fragments of the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-I) region and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) 28S gene of the nematode were amplified, sequenced, and available in GenBank under accession number MZ766122. Molecular data confirmed the identification of the species as P. onchorhynchi belonging to the family Philometridae.  The obtained nematode was described using light and scanning electron microscopy which revealed it is characterized by inconspicuous small and large papillae distributed on the cephalic region surrounding the mouth opening with no true lips and four pseudolapia. The histopathology of the intestine of the infected hosts was also investigated.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics