Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/18996
Type
ArticleCopyright
Open access
Collections
- IOC - Artigos de Periódicos [12481]
Metadata
Show full item record
ARE ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES AND ASCARIS SUUM A SINGLE SPECIES?
Coprólito
Evolução do hospedeiro-parasita
Paleoparasitologia
Parasitismo
Helmintíase
Affilliation
Universidade Federal Fluminense. Instituto Biomédico. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Niterói, RJ, Brasil.
University of Nebraska- Lincoln. School of Biological Sciences. Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
University of Nebraska- Lincoln. School of Natural Resource Sciences. Lincol, Nebraska, USA.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
University of Nebraska- Lincoln. School of Biological Sciences. Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
University of Nebraska- Lincoln. School of Natural Resource Sciences. Lincol, Nebraska, USA.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Abstract
Since the original description and naming of Ascaris lumbricoides from humans by Linnaeus in 1758 and later of Ascaris suum from pigs by Goeze 1782, these species have been considered to be valid. Four hypotheses relative to the conspecificity or lack thereof (and thus origin of these species) are possible: 1) Ascaris lumbricoides (usually infecting humans) and Ascaris suum (recorded mostly from pigs) are both valid species, with the two species originating via a speciation event from a common ancestor sometime before the domestication of pigs by humans, or 2) Ascaris lumbricoides in humans is derived directly from the species A. suum found in pigs with A. suum then existing as a persistent ancestor after formation of A. lumbricoides, or 3) Ascaris suum is derived directly from A. lumbricoides with the persistent ancestor being A. lumbricoides and A. suum being the newly derived species, and finally, 4) Ascaris lumbricoides and A. suum are the same species, this hypothesis being supported by studies showing both low morphological and low genetic divergence at several genes. We present and discuss paleoparasitological and genetic evidence that complement new data to evaluate the origin and evolution of Ascaris spp. in humans and pigs, and the uniqueness of the species in both hosts. Finally, we conclude that Ascaris lumbricoides and A. suum are a single species and that the name A. lumbricoides Linnaeus 1758 has taxonomic priority; therefore A. suum Goeze 1782 should be considered a synonym of A. lumbricoides.
Keywords in Portuguese
AscarisCoprólito
Evolução do hospedeiro-parasita
Paleoparasitologia
Parasitismo
Helmintíase
Share