Occurrence and First Molecular Characterization of Spinitectus notopteri Karve et Naik, 1951, Infected Bronze Featherback (Notopterus notopterus) in India

Purpose The nematode genus Spinitectus Fourment, 1883, comprises species that are mainly parasitic on freshwater and marine fishes. However, our knowledge of the distribution and molecular identification of Spinitectus spp. in the Indian region is rather limited. This study aims to fill this gap in our knowledge using molecular data as evidence for Spinitectus species characterization. Methods Bronze featherback were obtained opportunistically from the fish markets of district Muzaffarnagar (29.4727° N, 77.7085° E), Uttar Pradesh, India. Nematode species collected from the gastrointestinal tract were characterized morphologically and molecularly. Partial sequences of the ribosomal 18S rRNA gene were used for molecular characterization of the present specimens. Results The current study represented molecular analysis that determined the presence of the species Spinitectus notopteri Karve et Naik, 1951. The sequences obtained were closely related to representatives of the family Rhabdochonidae. Conclusion This first molecular exploration of S. notopteri Karve et Naik, 1951, in the GenBank database and for any species of Spinitectus from India indicates a lack of genetic data for parasitic nematodes.