Publications by authors named "R Ayaqui"
Article Synopsis
- Cryptic species pose challenges in systematic and biogeographic studies, especially when they are invasive or transmit diseases.
- The research focuses on the genus Galba, a group of invasive freshwater snails that reproduce mainly through self-fertilization and can carry liver flukes harmful to humans and livestock.
- Using an integrative approach involving morphology, molecular data, and broad sampling, the study reveals that Galba has six species or complexes, with significant variations in shell shape and genetic diversity, and emphasizes the necessity of molecular markers for accurate species identification.
Article Synopsis
- A new molecular tool uses multiplex PCR to quickly and accurately differentiate between three species of freshwater snails (Galba) that transmit fasciolosis, an infectious disease affecting humans and animals.* -
- The method works by targeting unique microsatellite loci for each species, allowing them to be identified based on the size of DNA fragments produced in a single reaction, even when all three species are present.* -
- This affordable and efficient technique has been validated against other species identification methods and can be scaled for large samples, aiding in monitoring snail populations and controlling fasciolosis transmission.*
Population genetic studies are efficient for inferring the invasion history based on a comparison of native and invasive populations, especially when conducted at species scale. An expected outcome in invasive populations is variability loss, and this is especially true in self-fertilizing species. We here focus on the self-fertilizing Pseudosuccinea columella, an invasive hermaphroditic freshwater snail that has greatly expanded its geographic distribution and that acts as intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica, the causative agent of human and veterinary fasciolosis.
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