A fresh look at Clestobothrium crassiceps (Rudolphi 1819) Lühe, 1899 (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidea) two centuries later : first complete description and novel observations from its type-host in the NW Mediterranean Sea
Muns i Pujadas, Laura (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
Constenla Matalobos, Maria (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
Dallarés, Sara (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Clestobothrium crassiceps (Rudolphi, 1819) Lühe, 1899 is the type species of the genus Clestobothrium Lühe, 1899, originally described from Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite its apparently wide host and geographic ranges, this species remains poorly understood due to the lack of detailed morphological, genetic and epidemiological data. In the present study, newly collected materials of C. crassiceps from M. merluccius off Barcelona, Spain (NW Mediterranean) were used to provide the first complete description from its type-host and locality. An integrative approach was applied, combining traditional morphological techniques with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), molecular, histological and epidemiological data. Confocal microscopy revealed key diagnostic features of the female reproductive system (i. e. vagina, Mehli's gland, uterus tube), while SEM analysis showed, for the first time, different distribution patterns of microtriches along the scolex and strobila. Histological observations showed the attachment mode of the scolex to intestinal folds, causing mild epithelial alterations such as attenuation of the intestinal epithelium. Prevalence and intensity of infestation with C. crassiceps were higher in larger fish, suggesting a role for dietary shifts and potential paratenic hosts in transmission. Phylogenetic analysis based on newly generated 28S and cox1 sequences confirmed the monophyly of the genus Clestobothrium and highlighted an intraspecific variation comparable to the genetic divergence observed between congeners C. splendidum and C. cristinae. Based on these results, a morphological reexamination of paratypes of both species was conducted, proposing C. cristinae as a junior synonym of C. splendidum.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación RTI2018-094806-B-I00 Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia CTM2006-13508-C02-01 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-648 Generalitat de Catalunya 2022/FI_B-00405
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	Parasitology Research, Vol. 124, Num. 11 (November 2025) , art. 138, ISSN 1432-1955

DOI: 10.1007/s00436-025-08571-4
PMID: 41286249

15 p, 2.9 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles