Current taxonomy of the genus Synhimantus: exploring parasitic species complexes from wild birds

Abstract

Every year new species are discovered. They are discovered using a varied methodology such as: morphological methods or PCR-based methods. After these discoveries, taxonomic revisions are necessary, and in the case of nematodes, the use of a new methodology makes it possible to describe cryptic species or groups of species. Considering the fact that the parasitic species Synhimantus (Dispharynx) nasuta and Synhimantus (Synhimantus) laticeps affect a wide group of species with different food habits, geographic and climatic regions, the possibility is set out with the existence of groups of species or cryptic species instead of just one. For this reason, it is carried out a bibliographic study based on the characteristics of these species in varied hosts and from different countries to try to find sufficient data to lay the groundwork for evaluating their taxonomic position. From the data obtained from the articles, tables and graphs are made and morphological indices are calculated, all being used as a basis for making comparisons. For comparisons, first the host where the parasites are found is considered and then the geographic location. The comparison made begins by taking into account the orders of the hosts where the S. D. nasuta is described to detect whether the parasites in each order presented the same characteristics and proportions. The same was done for the comparison of S. S. laticeps. The results of the comparisons are the possible existence of groups of species for S. D. nasuta due to the differences that exist between the descriptions. While S. S. laticeps is possibly a cryptic species as the descriptions are very similar. These results could allow to morphologically identify the existence of groups of species within S. D. nasuta and cryptic species in S. S. laticeps, results that will have to be verified by molecular biology techniques in the future and with which these statements will be confirm or not.