Conservation Implications of High Population Genetic Structure Detected in a Parasitic Fluke of Diamondback Terrapins
6 affiliations
- 1East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina USA
- 2FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Fort Pierce Florida USA
- 3Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Edgewater Maryland USA
- 4University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
- 5Hofstra University Hempstead New York USA
- 6Florida Oceanographic Society Stuart Florida USA
Abstract
Parasites are increasingly utilized as surrogates for investigating host ecology. Digenean trematodes (“flukes”) have been identified as promising bioindicators because they have obligate multi‐host life cycles that often include an abundant and accessible gastropod intermediate host and one or more vertebrate definitive hosts. Definitive vertebrate hosts are typically the mechanism for dispersal by flukes, thus driving congruent patterns in population genetic structure between host and parasite. This suggests that flukes can function as surrogates for understanding dispersal of their vertebrate hosts. Here, we investigated the terrapin fluke Pleurogonius malaclemys as a surrogate for its definitive diamondback terrapin host Malaclemys terrapin . This parasite is reliant on its intermediate host, the eastern mudsnail Ilyanassa obsoleta , as well as terrapin final hosts. We hypothesized that there would be high population genetic structure across fluke populations, reflecting the limited dispersal rates and low population connectivity of terrapin hosts. Specimens of Pleurogonius malaclemys were sampled from mudsnails (internal first‐intermediate and external cyst stages) and from terrapins (adult stage) across their co‐occurring range from Massachusetts to northeast Florida. Fluke mitochondrial DNA was extracted and sequenced, and a 620 bp fragment was used for population genetics analyses. Asexually reproducing larval fluke stages were rare within mudsnails (often 0%, but never exceeding 3.85%), while external cysts were common on mudsnails (up to 74%). About 45% of terrapins from southern New Jersey harbored adult flukes. Genetics analyses revealed high diversity and population genetic structure in flukes, broadly consistent with reported patterns for terrapins. Our study provides baseline genetic data and a foundational understanding of the biogeography and diversity of the terrapin fluke, thereby identifying a promising surrogate for terrapin population ecology and subsequent conservation efforts.
Versions
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BibTeX
@article{maggio2026conservation,
title = {{Conservation Implications of High Population Genetic Structure Detected in a Parasitic Fluke of Diamondback Terrapins}},
author = {Garrett J. Maggio and April M. H. Blakeslee and Sarah R. Goodnight and Iris Segura‐García and James E. Byers and Jason D. Williams and Krista A. McCoy and Michael W. McCoy},
journal = {Ecology and Evolution},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1002/ece3.74573},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.74573},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Conservation Implications of High Population Genetic Structure Detected in a Parasitic Fluke of Diamondback Terrapins
AU - Garrett J. Maggio
AU - April M. H. Blakeslee
AU - Sarah R. Goodnight
AU - Iris Segura‐García
AU - James E. Byers
AU - Jason D. Williams
AU - Krista A. McCoy
AU - Michael W. McCoy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/08
JO - Ecology and Evolution
DO - 10.1002/ece3.74573
UR - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.74573
AB - Parasites are increasingly utilized as surrogates for investigating host ecology. Digenean trematodes (“flukes”) have been identified as promising bioindicators because they have obligate multi‐host life cycles that often include an abundant and accessible gastropod intermediate host and one or more vertebrate definitive hosts. Definitive vertebrate hosts are typically the mechanism for dispersal by flukes, thus driving congruent patterns in population genetic structure between host and parasite. This suggests that flukes can function as surrogates for understanding dispersal of their vertebrate hosts. Here, we investigated the terrapin fluke Pleurogonius malaclemys as a surrogate for its definitive diamondback terrapin host Malaclemys terrapin . This parasite is reliant on its intermediate host, the eastern mudsnail Ilyanassa obsoleta , as well as terrapin final hosts. We hypothesized that there would be high population genetic structure across fluke populations, reflecting the limited dispersal rates and low population connectivity of terrapin hosts. Specimens of Pleurogonius malaclemys were sampled from mudsnails (internal first‐intermediate and external cyst stages) and from terrapins (adult stage) across their co‐occurring range from Massachusetts to northeast Florida. Fluke mitochondrial DNA was extracted and sequenced, and a 620 bp fragment was used for population genetics analyses. Asexually reproducing larval fluke stages were rare within mudsnails (often 0%, but never exceeding 3.85%), while external cysts were common on mudsnails (up to 74%). About 45% of terrapins from southern New Jersey harbored adult flukes. Genetics analyses revealed high diversity and population genetic structure in flukes, broadly consistent with reported patterns for terrapins. Our study provides baseline genetic data and a foundational understanding of the biogeography and diversity of the terrapin fluke, thereby identifying a promising surrogate for terrapin population ecology and subsequent conservation efforts.
SN - 2045-7758
SN - 2045-7758
ER -