Morphology and molecular phylogeny of trypanorhynchid metacestodes infecting commercial fish of the Mediterranean Sea

ABSTRACT Members of the order Trypanorhyncha are cestode parasites that frequently found infecting muscles several marine fish species, affecting health, and resulting in consumers’ rejection fish. Fifty-two specimens were freshly caught throughout year 2020 from boat landing sites at Alexandria coast along Mediterranean Sea Egypt, including grey trigger Balistes carolinensis (F: Balistidae); mottled grouper Mycteroperca rubra Serranidae) common sole Solea vulgaris Soleidae). Blastocysts isolated ruptured; generated pleurocerci described morphologically morphometrically by light scanning electron microscopy. Also, multiple-sequence alignment was performed, a phylogenetic tree constructed following maximum likelihood analysis 18s 28s ribosomal RNA sequences recovered worms. Thirty infected; infection recorded as blastocysts embedded flesh. Three different parasitic species classified Gymnorhynchus isuri, Pseudotobothrium dipsacum Heteronybelinia estigmena. The taxonomic position these justified molecular their rRNAs, which revealed high percentages homology with GenBank. accession numbers ON157059, ON139663 ON139662 respectively assigned to after deposition results obtained analyses confirmed morphological records parasites. Since metacestodes musculature infected specimens, it is necessary remove areas commercialization