Integrative taxonomy ofspp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) parasites of characiform and gymnotiform fishes from the coastal drainages of the Eastern Amazon, Brazil.

Abstract

Eight species (four new) ofare reported from Characiformes and Gymnotiformes fishes of the coastal drainages of the Eastern Amazon.n. sp. is characterized by having a male copulatory organ (MCO) with three and a half counterclockwise rings, absence of vaginal sclerite, and a V-shaped ventral bar.n. sp. has MCO with two and a half counterclockwise rings, dumbbell-shaped accessory piece, similar anchors, open V-shaped ventral bar, and open U-shaped dorsal bar.n. sp. exhibits an elongate and robust body, MCO comprising one counterclockwise ring, similar anchors with wavy point, and dumbbell-shaped ventral and dorsal bars.n. sp. has MCO comprising two and a half counterclockwise rings, vaginal canal convoluted, point of the dorsal anchor with ornamentation as sclerotized shredded filaments, elongate dumbbell-shaped ventral bar, and U-shaped dorsal bar.andfrom(Characiformes) and thespecies,and, from(Gymnotiformes) are reported, and their molecular sequences are presented in this study. Phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data (28S rDNA and COI mtDNA) reveal that species oflacking vaginal sclerite are closely related to species that possess vaginal sclerite, suggesting that the absence of vaginal sclerite inmay be the result of a secondary loss. The relationships between species ofand other Neotropical dactylogyrids are also addressed.