The genetic relationships between<i>Echinostoma caproni, E. paraensei</i>, and<i>E. trivolvis</i>as determined by electrophoresis

Abstract

Adults of Echinostoma caproni, E. paraensei, and E. trivolvis were processed for starchgel electrophoresis. Ten enzyme systems representing 12 structural loci were examined using three different buffer systems. E. paraensei and E. caproni were found to be genetically inbred as indicated by the lack of heterozygosity in individual worms. All three taxa showed fixed differences indicating they are distinct species. Fixed differences were found between E. paraensei and E. caproni in six enzyme systems, between E. paraensei and E. trivolvis in five enzyme systems, and between E. trivolvis and E. caproni in five enzyme systems. Phenic relationships among the three species showed E. caproni was genetically more similar to E. trivolvis than to E. paraensei.