Molecular Characterization of <i>Clistobothrium</i> sp. Viable Plerocercoids in Fresh Longfin Inshore Squid (<i>Doryteuthis pealeii</i>) and Implications for Cephalopod Inspection

oleh: Lisa Guardone, Alice Giusti, Ewa Bilska-Zajac, Renato Malandra, Miroslaw Różycki, Andrea Armani

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-07-01

Deskripsi

Cephalopods, an appreciated seafood product, are common hosts of marine cestodes. The aim of this work is to report visible alive plerocercoids in longfin inshore squid (<i>Doryteuthis pealeii</i>), a cephalopod species commercialized as fresh and whole in Italy. Seventy <i>D. pealeii</i> from the Northwest Atlantic (FAO area 21) were collected and visually inspected. In total, 18 plerocercoid larvae were found in the viscera of 10 host specimens (P: 14.3% 95% CI 7.1–24.7; MI: 1.8, MA: 0.26; range 1–4) and molecularly analyzed targeting the variable D2 region of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase subunit I (<i>COI</i>) gene. The molecular characterization allowed to identify all the plerocercoids as <i>Clistobothrium</i> sp., a cestode of the Phyllobothriidae family with Lamnidae sharks as definitive hosts, and cephalopods as second intermediate hosts. These findings represent the first molecular record of <i>Clistobothrium</i> sp. in <i>D. pealeii</i>, thus contributing to elucidate its poorly known life cycle. Even if not affecting consumer’s health, these visible parasites may represent a reason for disgust for consumers. Therefore, the results suggest that Food Business Operators should also check for the presence of these visible parasites during inspection and underline the importance of a correct consumers’ education.