Phylogenetic position inferred on SSU rDNA sequence gene and description of a new parasitic cnidarian (Endocnidozoa: Myxobolidae) infecting Markiana nigripinnis (Teleostei: Stevardiinae) from a small marginal lake floodplain, Brazil

Herein, a detailed molecular phylogeny analysis was developed to determine the phylogenetic position of a new freshwater histozoic myxosporean cnidarian, sp. nov. from the world's largest tropical wetland area, Pantanal, Brazil. The new species is described using an integrative taxonomy approach including morphology, biological traits and molecular data. Phylogenetic analysis inferred by Maximum Likehood method showed the new species in a well-supported clade of myxosporean gill parasites of South American characids fishes. In this same clade, the new described appeared in a sub-clade clustering with and . Nevertheless, the sequences of the new species and and have a large genetic divergence of 10.4% (148 nucleotides-nt) and 10.5% (147 nt) respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a cnidarian myxosporean species parasitizing a fish from Stevardiinae from South America. In the light of the differences observed from the integrative taxonomy, we are confident that this isolate is a new species of , increasing the knowledge of diversity of this enigmatic group of cnidarians.