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<p>Pentastomids of the family Sebekidae utilize fish as intermediate hosts. In Brazil, records of the genus <i>Alofia</i> Giglioli, 1922 remain scarce and fragmented. This study reports the first occurrence of <i>Alofia</i> sp. nymphs in the armored catfish <i>Megalechis thoracata</i> (Valenciennes, 1840) from the western Amazon, Acre State, Brazil. Of 33 fish examined, 42.42% were parasitized, with a mean intensity of 1.57 parasites per infected host and a mean abundance of 0.66. Nymphs were recovered from the coelomic cavity, associated with the serosa of internal organs. Morphological identification was supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing diagnostic characters consistent with the genus. Molecular analysis of the cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene generated a 647&#xa0;bp sequence, representing one of the few available molecular records for <i>Alofia</i> in the Neotropical region. The observed genetic divergence highlights the potential presence of an uncharacterized lineage. These findings expand the known host range and geographical distribution of <i>Alofia</i>, while providing novel molecular data that contribute to the systematics and phylogenetic understanding of Neotropical Sebekidae.</p>

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First record of nymphal larvae of Alofia sp. (Pentastomida: Sebekidae) in Megalechis thoracata from the Western Amazon (Brazil)

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月26日

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  • Lucena R. Virgilio,
  • Ricardo M. Takemoto,
  • Mayara D. Passere,
  • Alessandra V. de Oliveira,
  • Dionatas U. O. Meneguetti

摘要

Pentastomids of the family Sebekidae utilize fish as intermediate hosts. In Brazil, records of the genus Alofia Giglioli, 1922 remain scarce and fragmented. This study reports the first occurrence of Alofia sp. nymphs in the armored catfish Megalechis thoracata (Valenciennes, 1840) from the western Amazon, Acre State, Brazil. Of 33 fish examined, 42.42% were parasitized, with a mean intensity of 1.57 parasites per infected host and a mean abundance of 0.66. Nymphs were recovered from the coelomic cavity, associated with the serosa of internal organs. Morphological identification was supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing diagnostic characters consistent with the genus. Molecular analysis of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene generated a 647 bp sequence, representing one of the few available molecular records for Alofia in the Neotropical region. The observed genetic divergence highlights the potential presence of an uncharacterized lineage. These findings expand the known host range and geographical distribution of Alofia, while providing novel molecular data that contribute to the systematics and phylogenetic understanding of Neotropical Sebekidae.