Morphological and Genetic Characterization of Nematodes of the Opossum Didelphis albiventris and the Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus from Serra da Capivara National Park

Researchers have identified four species of nematodes belonging to the Aspidoderidae family and one from Trichostrongylidae, associated with the opossum Didelphis albiventris and the armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus, in Serra da Capivara National Park (SCNP), Brazil. This marks a new geographic record for these species, expanding their known distribution. The study employed integrative taxonomic analysis, combining morphological, ultrastructural (via scanning electron microscopy), and genetic approaches to characterize the nematodes. Notably, it provides the first partial sequences of 18S rRNA (SSU) and 28S rRNA (LSU) genes for Aspidoderidae species, along with additional genetic data, including mitochondrial DNA sequences. These findings contribute to our understanding of parasitic fauna in SCNP, a region significant for its prehistoric sites.

Santos, E. G. N. d., Moutinho, V. A. d. C., Chame, M., & Santos, C. P. (2019). MORPHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF NEMATODES OF THE OPOSSUM Didelphis albiventris AND THE ARMADILLO Dasypus novemcinctus FROM SERRA DA CAPIVARA NATIONAL PARK. Oecologia Australis, 23(02), 315–332. https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2019.2302.10