Broad phylogenetic analyses of the leech family Glossiphoniidae (Annelida: Clitellata) reveals two independent origins of kangaroo leeches
Por:
Torres-Carrera, Gerardo, Muniz-Pareja, Flavia C., Maza-Acuna, Albert N., Oceguera-Figueroa, Alejandro
Publicada:
12 jun 2023
Ahead of Print:
1 may 2023
Categoría:
Ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics
Resumen:
Parental care is uncommon within Annelida. However, a remarkable
exception is in the leech family Glossiphoniidae in which all its
members keep their offspring attached to the ventral surface for varying
lengths of time. Considered as the culmination in the evolution of
parental care in leeches, two glossiphoniids, Marsupiobdella africana
from South Africa and Maiabdella batracophila from South America, have a
brood pouch or marsupium in which their offspring are protected.
Interestingly, the structure is located in exactly the same region of
the body in both species. Based on phylogenetic analysis of
Glossiphoniidae, including use of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA
sequences, we investigated for the first time the phylogenetic position
of the two kangaroo leeches. Our results indicate that marsupium-bearing
leeches belong to separate lineages, with each species more closely
related to other leeches from their respective continent. We infer that
the marsupium evolved independently from ancestors that maintained their
eggs inside thin-walled, flexible, transparent cocoons attached directly
to the ventral surface of the parents. Together with the evolution of a
marsupium, both species have also ceased to produce cocoons, which are
normally a characteristic of Glossiphoniidae.
Filiaciones:
Torres-Carrera, Gerardo:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Biol, Dept Zool, Lab Helmintol, Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Biol, Posgrad Ciencias Biol, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Muniz-Pareja, Flavia C.:
Univ Nacl San Antonio Abad Cusco, Fac Ciencias Biol, Ctr Invest Parasitol Reg Inka, Av Cultura 773, Cuzco 08000, Peru
Maza-Acuna, Albert N.:
Univ Nacl San Antonio Abad Cusco, Fac Ciencias Biol, Ctr Invest Parasitol Reg Inka, Av Cultura 773, Cuzco 08000, Peru
Oceguera-Figueroa, Alejandro:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Biol, Dept Zool, Lab Helmintol, Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
|