Publications by authors named "J L Justine"
A genome skimming approach of sequencing was undertaken on a subfamily of terrestrial flatworms that had been neglected in genomic studies until now, namely the Microplaninae as represented here by Microplana scharffi. A single run of short-read sequencing enabled retrieval of the complete mitogenome, the two paralogous versions of the 18S gene, the elongation factor gene EF1α, plus two genes involved in the regeneration process, namely those coding for ß-CATENIN-1 and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). The 15,297 bp mitogenome lacks a functional tRNA-Ala and has a mandatory alternative TTG start codon in its cox1 gene.
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- - Specimens of a flat, dark brown land planarian were discovered in a North Carolina plant nursery in 2020 and initially misidentified, but further molecular analysis and histological study revealed it to be a new species in the genus *Geoplana*.
- - This new species has been found in various locations in North Carolina, with potential sightings in Georgia and other southeastern states, indicating it may have invaded the region over a decade ago.
- - Researchers obtained a complete mitochondrial genome for the species, which shares specific features with other Geoplanidae, including unique start codons in its protein-coding genes and raised questions about the genetic code used for translation in this family.
Using a combination of short- and long-reads sequencing, we were able to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive 'New Zealand flatworm' Arthurdendyus triangulatus (Geoplanidae, Rhynchodeminae, Caenoplanini) and its two complete paralogous nuclear rRNA gene clusters. The mitogenome has a total length of 20,309 bp and contains repetitions that includes two types of tandem-repeats that could not be solved by short-reads sequencing. We also sequenced for the first time the mitogenomes of four species of Caenoplana (Caenoplanini).
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- - Molecular markers have been used to study the life-cycles of digeneans, focusing on the larval stages of Monorchis Monticelli collected from infected bivalves and sparid fishes in the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia.
- - DNA analysis, particularly the COI gene and the ITS1 gene, was conducted to accurately identify the host molluscs and fishes, as well as the larval and adult stages of the Monorchis spp.
- - The study indicates that the genetic sequences of larval Monorchis specimens closely resemble those of the adult Monorchis parvus, with noted morphological similarities to European variants but some differences in maturity and size.
We present here the first observation of Bipalium admarginatum de Beauchamp, 1933 since its original description 90 years ago. Three specimens were found on Perhentian Kecil Island, off Terengganu State, Malaysia and photographed in the field, and two were collected. This report thus includes the first colour photographs published for this species, from a locality close to the type-locality, Tioman Island (which is ca.
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