Sphyranura euryceae Genome Sequencing

Polystomatidae represents a monogenean group whose representatives infect mainly (semi)-aquatic tetrapods. The genus Sphyranura exhibits ectoparasitism on salamander hosts, with recent molecular work supporting its inclusion within Polystomatidae, at an early diverging, yet unresolved, position in the clade of polystomatids that otherwise exhibit endoparasitism of batrachians. Records of representatives of Sphyranura are scarce with phylogenetic studies only ever having included data from S. oligorchis. Detailed morphological examination and comparison with type material identified worms belonging to Sphyranura infecting Oklahoma salamander (Eurycea tynerensis) as S. euryceae. Along with an amended diagnosis of Sphyranura we provide the first molecular data for S. euryceae in the form of a mitochondrial genome and nuclear (18S, 28S rRNA) markers. Mitochondrial level comparison reveals instances of tRNA gene rearrangements in polystomatids. With the aforementioned markers, we inferred the phylogeny of Polystomatidae which included ten taxa not included in previous phylogenies. Our phylogeny was largely in accordance with previous work, where Sphyranura appears as early branching in the lineage of polystomatid parasites of batrachians although certain critical nodes remain unresolved.