Molecular evidence of the eukaryotic parasites Perkinsea and Stylocephalidae in lizard muscle tissue

Abstract

Abstract.- Alveolates are a group of single-celled eukaryotes that include many important parasites of vertebrates, including the parasites that cause malaria. However, the diversity and host associations of the groups in reptiles remain poorly understood. Here, we used 18S rRNA metabarcoding and phylogenetic analyses to identify novel parasites from tissue of iguanian lizards from the Caribbean and southern United States. This analysis revealed sequences closely related to members of the Alveolate families Stylocephalidae and Perkinsea, neither of which has previously been reported in reptiles. Stylocephalidae sequences clustered with gregarine parasites typically associated with arthropod hosts, while Perkinsea sequences grouped with environmental and freshwater lineages related to known amphibian pathogens. These findings represent the first molecular evidence of Stylocephalidae- and Perkinsea-related DNA in lizard tissues and suggest previously unrecognized ecological interactions between reptiles and alveolate microorganisms. Although infection cannot yet be confirmed, our results highlight the need for targeted environmental sampling, histopathology, and experimental studies to clarify host range, transmission potential, and possible conservation implications.