First molecular identification of blood parasites of the genus Dactylosoma in Bufo eichwaldi from the north of Iran

Javanbakht, Hossein; Abdolahi, Fatemeh

doi:10.22034/nfvm.2025.515051.1278

First molecular identification of blood parasites of the genus Dactylosoma in Bufo eichwaldi from the north of Iran

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Hossein Javanbakht ¹

Fatemeh Abdolahi ²

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

² Department of Biology, Faculty of science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22034/nfvm.2025.515051.1278

Abstract

Coccidian parasites (Apicomplexa: coccidia) are among the most common blood parasites reported in reptiles and amphibians. The Dactylosomatidae Jakowska and Negrelli, 1955 are one of four families belonging to adeleorinid coccidia and comprise the genera Babesiosoma Jakowska and Nigrelli, 1956 and Dactylosoma Labbé, 1894. These blood protozoa occur in the peripheral blood of lower vertebrates and are commonly reported parasitising amphibians. Talysh bufo (Bufo eichwaldi) is a large endemic amphibian distributed in the Hyrcanian forest in the north of Iran and the southeast of Azerbaijan. In this study, we investigated for the first time the prevalence and genetic identification of blood parasites of the genus Dactylosoma in 75 individuals of B. eichwaldi with a vulnerable conservation status from north of Iran. Blood parasite infection with Dactylosoma sp was detected in 26.66% of samples. Results of phylogenetic analysis by 18S rRNA gene showed 100% identity with Dactylosoma kermiti and D. ranarum. Phylogenetic analysis showed the Dactylosoma of the present study formed a monophyletic group in Dactylosoma species, as a same species clustered with Dactylosoma kermiti from Sclerophrys gutturalis and as a sister group of D. ranarum, Dactylosoma sp, and Babesiosoma stableri (support > 80%). This is the first molecular characterization of a species of Dactylosoma from an Iranian Bufo.

Keywords

Amphibia

Apicomplexa

Haemogregarine

Phylogenetic

Hyrcanian

Subjects