Morphological and Molecular Description of <i>Sarcocystis</i> <i>myodes</i> n. sp. from the Bank Vole (<i>Clethrionomys glareolus</i>) in Lithuania
2022
Eglė Rudaitytė-Lukošienė | Marius Jasiulionis | Linas Balčiauskas | Petras Prakas | Vitalijus Stirkė | Dalius Butkauskas
Numerous rodent species have been broadly examined for <i>Sarcocystis</i> parasites. Nevertheless, recent investigations on <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. in voles are lacking. As many as 45 bank voles (<i>Clethrionomys</i> <i>glareolus</i>) captured in several locations in Lithuania were examined in the present study. Based on morphological, genetic, and phylogenetic results, sarcocysts detected in one bank vole were described as <i>Sarcocystis myodes</i> n. sp. Using light microscopy analysis, the observed sarcocysts were ribbon-shaped, 6000–3000 × 70–220 µm in size. Sarcocysts were characterized by a relatively thin (about 1 μm) and apparently smooth cyst wall. The lancet-shaped bradyzoites were 9.6–12.0 × 3.1–4.6 μm in size. By transmission electron microscopy, the sarcocyst wall was up to 1 μm thick, parasitophorous vacuolar membrane had small knob-like blebs. Based on <i>18S</i> rDNA, <i>28S</i> rDNA, <i>cox1</i>, <i>rpoB</i>, and <i>ITS1</i> loci, <i>S</i>. <i>myodes</i> showed highest similarity with <i>S</i>. <i>ratti</i> from the black rat (<i>Rattus rattus</i>). According to phylogenetic placement, <i>S</i>. <i>myodes</i> was most closely related to <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. that employ predatory mammals as their definitive hosts. Morphologically, sarcocysts of <i>S</i>. <i>myodes</i> have similar features to those of <i>S</i>. <i>cernae</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>dirumpens</i>, and <i>S</i>. <i>montanaensis</i> described in voles, however, they use birds of prey or snakes as their definitive hosts.
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