Review of tapeworms of rodents in the Republic of Buryatia, with emphasis on anoplocephalid cestodes

Abstract

Examination of ca. 500 rodents [Microtus spp., Myodes spp., Cricetulus barabensis (Pallas), Apodemus peninsulae Thomas] from 14 localities in the Republic of Buryatia (Russian Federation) revealed a minimum of 11 cestode species representing Anoplocephaloides Baer, 1923 s. str. (1 species), Paranoplocephala Lühe, 1910 s. l. (5 species), Catenotaenia Janicki, 1904 (2 species), Arostrilepis Mas-Coma & Tenora, 1997 (at least 2 species) and Rodentolepis Spasskii, 1954 (1 species). At least 5 of these species are previously unknown. The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of Buryatian Paranoplocephala-species was defined by cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences (mtDNA). The phylogenetic analysis also confirmed the status of Parandrya Gulyaev & Chechulin, 1996 as a junior synonym of Paranoplocephala s. l.. The species diversity of anoplocephalid cestodes was significantly lower in Buryatia and North-East Siberia (6-7 species) than in Europe (17 species). The connections of the anoplocephalid fauna of Buryatia seem to be closer with Beringia (North-East Siberia and Alaska) than with Europe. The present study demonstrated high spatial variation (patchiness) among study sites in cestodes of Buryatian rodents, with the exception of the ubiquitous Arostrilepis horrida (von Linstow, 1901)-complex.