Phylogenetic Relationship of The Pin Worms of The Genus Syphacia from murines of Indonesia and Some Other Regions Inferred by Molecular Analysis

Sequencing of partial mtDNA Cox-1 gene and 28S rDNA was attempted for pinworms of the genus Syphacia from murines of Indonesia in order to compare with those from other regions. Among the Indonesian material, sequencing was successful only for Syphacia rifaii from Bunomys penitus of Sulawesi and S. muris from Rattus tanezumi of Java and Sumatra. Cox-1 sequence of S. rifaii was characteristic by having deletions of three consecutive nucleotides at two loci in addition to numerous substitutions, resulting very long branch in phylogenetic trees. Nevertheless, both in Cox-1 and 28S rDNA trees, S. rifaii formed a clade with S. muris. Three Syphacia species parasitic in Apodemus, Syphacia emileromani, S. stroma and S. agraria, formed one clade both in Cox-1 and 28S rDNA phylograms, suggesting coevolutionary relationship with their hosts. Indonesian examples of S. muris were rather diverged from those in the laboratory rats both in Cox-1 and 28S rDNA, presumably reflecting the process of geographical dispersal of host Rattus with this pinworm over the world. Jpn. J. Vet Parasitol. Vol. 14. No. 2. Hal. 67-75