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Volume 11
Issue 1
10.3390/fishes11010014
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Article

Tracking the Transmission Pathway of Rhadinorhynchus lintoni (Echinorhynchida: Rhadinorhynchidae) in Temperate NE Atlantic

by
Andrea Ramilo
1,*,
Lara García-Alves
1,
Francisco Javier Aznar
2,
Helena Rodríguez
1,
Elvira Abollo
1 and
Santiago Pascual
1
1
Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, IIM—CSIC, 36208 Vigo, Spain
2
Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, 46071 Paterna, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Fishes 2026, 11(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010014 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 1 December 2025 / Revised: 22 December 2025 / Accepted: 25 December 2025 / Published: 27 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Fish Pathology and Parasitology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Rhadinorhynchus is a parasitic genus within the order Echinorhynchida (family Rhadinorhynchidae), comprising over 50 species found in marine ecosystems. The life cycle of Rhadinorhynchus species generally includes marine fish as definitive hosts and zooplankton as intermediate hosts. During a routine marine parasitological survey carried out in temperate waters off the NE Atlantic, we recorded adults (from fish) and cystacanths (from mesozooplankton) of an acanthocephalan morphologically corresponding to the genus Rhadinorhynchus. Species identification as R. lintoni was confirmed based on morphological features. Additionally, new genetic data were added for this species based on several molecular markers, including 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S region of the rRNA gene and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Molecular data also provide evidence of a key trophic transmission involving the primary intermediate host—the euphausiid Nyctiphanes couchii—and higher-level consumers (definitive hosts), including the pelagic fish Sardina pilchardus, Scomber scombrus, and Trachurus trachurus. Genetic matching of different life cycle stages of R. lintoni across these host–parasite assemblages underscores the complexity of transmission dynamics within this ecoregion. These findings are discussed in relation to the growing interest of integrating genetic profiles of host–parasite assemblages to understand the life-cycle of marine parasites, especially for those having seafood security and safety concerns.
Keywords: Rhadinorhynchus lintoni; Nyctiphanes couchii; fish parasite; life-cycle; trophic transmission; phylogeny Rhadinorhynchus lintoni; Nyctiphanes couchii; fish parasite; life-cycle; trophic transmission; phylogeny

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ramilo, A.; García-Alves, L.; Aznar, F.J.; Rodríguez, H.; Abollo, E.; Pascual, S. Tracking the Transmission Pathway of Rhadinorhynchus lintoni (Echinorhynchida: Rhadinorhynchidae) in Temperate NE Atlantic. Fishes 2026, 11, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010014

AMA Style

Ramilo A, García-Alves L, Aznar FJ, Rodríguez H, Abollo E, Pascual S. Tracking the Transmission Pathway of Rhadinorhynchus lintoni (Echinorhynchida: Rhadinorhynchidae) in Temperate NE Atlantic. Fishes. 2026; 11(1):14. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010014

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ramilo, Andrea, Lara García-Alves, Francisco Javier Aznar, Helena Rodríguez, Elvira Abollo, and Santiago Pascual. 2026. "Tracking the Transmission Pathway of Rhadinorhynchus lintoni (Echinorhynchida: Rhadinorhynchidae) in Temperate NE Atlantic" Fishes 11, no. 1: 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010014

APA Style

Ramilo, A., García-Alves, L., Aznar, F. J., Rodríguez, H., Abollo, E., & Pascual, S. (2026). Tracking the Transmission Pathway of Rhadinorhynchus lintoni (Echinorhynchida: Rhadinorhynchidae) in Temperate NE Atlantic. Fishes, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11010014

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