Genetic variation and relationships of four species of medically important echinostomes (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in South-East Asia

▶ We provide genetic analysis of four medically important echinostomes in South-East Asia. ▶ MEE and mitochondrial DNA sequence showed intra- and interspecific variation. ▶ Genetically distinct populations and/or cryptic species were detected relating to geographical area and snail host. ▶ Taxonomy should be reconsidered by more comprehensive morphological and genetic analysis. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE) and DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene were used to genetically compare four species of echinostomes of human health importance. Fixed genetic differences among adults of Echinostoma revolutum, Echinostoma malayanum, Echinoparyphium recurvatum and Hypoderaeum conoideum were detected at 51–75% of the enzyme loci examined, while interspecific differences in CO1 sequence were detected at 16–32 (8–16%) of the 205 alignment positions. The results of the MEE analyses also revealed fixed genetic differences between E. revolutum from Thailand and Lao PDR at five (19%) of 27 loci, which could either represent genetic variation between geographically separated populations of a single species, or the existence of a cryptic (i.e. genetically distinct but morphologically similar) species. However, there was no support for the existence of cryptic species within E. revolutum based on the CO1 sequence between the two geographical areas sampled. Genetic variation in CO1 sequence was also detected among E. malayanum from three different species of snail intermediate host. Separate phylogenetic analyses of the MEE and DNA sequence data revealed that the two species of Echinostoma (E. revolutum and E. malayanum) did not form a monophyletic clade. These results, together with the large number of morphologically similar species with inadequate descriptions, poor specific diagnoses and extensive synonymy, suggest that the morphological characters used for species taxonomy of echinostomes in South-East Asia should be reconsidered according to the concordance of biology, morphology and molecular classification.