Lorena Ailán-Choke

Dr. Lorena Ailán-Choke


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

10Years (2017-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
1 March 2022 in Revue suisse de Zoologie
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
GRGeraldine Ramallo
Geraldine Ramallo
LALorena Ailán-Choke
Lorena Ailán-Choke
An annotated checklist of the nematodes parasites of Argentinian freshwater fishes is presented. This review includes information for 42 taxa of parasitic nematodes from 56 species of freshwater fish hosts. Fourty nematode species have been reported as adults and two as larvae. Camallanidae was the nematode family with the highest number of taxa (12 species), followed by Cucullanidae (4 species) and Raphidascarididae (4 species and 1 at genus level). The larval nematode Contracaecum sp. was the parasite with the widest range of host species, follow by Spirocamallanus hilarii, Spirocamallanus inopinatus, and Camallanus corderoi. Of the 570 species of freshwater fishes reported in Argentina, only 65 (11.4 %) were recorded as hosts of nematodes. Most records were in Characiformes, Siluriformes and Galaxiiformes, which may reflects sampling effort, since its abundance and widely distributions across differents ichthyogeographic provinces of Argentina. Most sampling were done in Great River and Patagonian ichthyogeographic provinces. The small number of examined fish hosts and geographically biased studies may not reflect the real richness and distribution of these parasites. Other obstacles that also contributes to the lack of completeness of this checklist are the problems in the taxonomic validity of some nematode species, doubtful host identification, and poor taxonomic resolution for larval stages of nematodes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to deposit voucher specimens, including also of the hosts in reference collection, as well as performing integrative studies to elucidate the real taxonomic identity of nematode larvae. This is the first compilation on the nematode parasites of freshwater fishes from Argentina, including three nematode taxa recorded for new host records and four from new localities. Despite this study is exhaustive, the knowledge about parasitic nematodes from Argentinian freshwater fishes is far from complete, since some hydrological basin mainly in Pampean and Andean Cuyan regions and some host families remain unexplored in terms of nematode parasite detection.


10 June 2023 in Diversity
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LALorena Ailán-Choke
Lorena Ailán-Choke
FPFabiano Paschoal
Fabiano Paschoal
JCJoão Victor Couto
João Victor Couto
FPFelipe Bisaggio Pereira
Felipe Bisaggio Pereira
(1) Background: Integrative taxonomy has been important in the comprehension of relationships among nematode parasites. Philometridae is a highly diverse family of these organisms, but poorly-known regarding genetic characterization and evolution. An integrative taxonomic analysis was performed to improve the knowledge of the evolutionary history of Philometridae. (2) Methods: Phylogenies were reconstructed based on genetic sequences alone and integrated with morphological/life history traits, which were phylogenetically mapped. The host–parasite cophylogeny was evaluated. (3) Results: Previously unpublished 28S rDNA sequences are given for some species. The phylogeny from this marker, although limited by data scarcity, showed similar patterns as that from 18S rDNA. Clades shared common features related to the structure of the esophagus and of the tail in males (especially the gubernaculum), site of infection, habitat, host taxa and geographic origin; most of these features were phylogenetically informative. The integrative phylogeny was better resolved. A cophylogenetic signal was present mainly in clades of freshwater species. (4) Conclusions: The speciation process in Philometridae is not unique or uniform; host capture, host–parasite co-evolution and allopatric (especially in freshwater) events may be occurring simultaneously in different lineages, places and times. Cases of plesiomorphy retention probably occur. Evolutionary convergence of poorly-informative characters is suggested, even though they are important for species diagnosis.

13 July 2020 in Zootaxa
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
GRGeraldine Ramallo
Geraldine Ramallo
FCFabiana Cancino
Fabiana Cancino
ARAna Lía Ruiz
Ana Lía Ruiz
LALorena Ailán-Choke
Lorena Ailán-Choke
Helminthological examination of viscera of six freshwater fish species, collected from Mision la Paz, Pilcomayo River, Province of Salta, Argentina, revealed the presence of five species of parasitic nematodes belonging to the Camallanidae, Cystidicolidae, Cucullanidae and Anisakidae The material also contained one unknown species, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) tomsici sp. nov. collected from Pimelodus albicans, Pygocentrus nattereri and Hoplias misionera. This species is distinguished from its congeners all over de world by possessing six pores distinctly surrounding the mouth aperture, a buccal capsule with 3-4 spiral thickenings complete, females possessing a lateral cuticular ornamentation along the body, and two pairs of preanal and three pairs of postanal papillae in males. The findings represent new hosts and geographical records.

9 February 2017 in Zootaxa
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
LALorena Ailán-Choke
Lorena Ailán-Choke
GRGeraldine Ramallo
Geraldine Ramallo
DDDora Davies
Dora Davies
During a parasitological survey, we reported specimens of a new species of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) in Rineloricaria steinbachi from La Caldera River, province of Salta, Northwest Argentina. The new species, R. (S.) saltaensis sp. nov., is characterized by possessing 16 pairs of preanal papillae, lips with lateral protrusions and membranous elevations, and mature eggs rough-shelled with striations. This is the sixth species of the genus described in the Neotropical Region, and the second from Argentina. Rineloricaria steinbachi is reported as host of this nematode genus for the first time. A key to the species of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) in the Neotropical realm is provided. Also, zoogeographical and host information of the species, belonging to the subgenus Sprentascaris, is summarized.

1 January 2025 in Zoodiversity
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
MGM. A González
M. A González
MOM. A. Villegas Ojeda
M. A. Villegas Ojeda
JCJ. N. Caraballo
J. N. Caraballo
LALorena Ailán-Choke
Lorena Ailán-Choke
MHMonika Ines Hamann
Monika Ines Hamann
CGCynthya González
Cynthya González
This study aims to identify the helminth fauna of twelve anurans species from Argentina's Dry and Humid Chaco ecoregions. We collected one hundred and fifty-two specimens belonging to the species Dendropsophus nanus (n = 17), Scinax nasicus (n = 15), Pithecopus azureus (n = 7), Pseudis platensis (n = 10), Trachycephalus typhonius (n = 7) (Hylidae), Leptodactylus bufonius (n = 3), Leptodactylus latinasus (n = 16), L. luctator (n = 14), L. macrosternum (n = 12), Physalaemus santafecinus (n = 14), P. albonotatus (n = 11) (Leptodactylidae), and Elachistocleis haroi (n = 26) (Microhylidae) from 3 areas located in the provinces of Chaco and Formosa (Dry Chaco) and in Corrientes province (Humid Chaco). A total of 17 helminth taxa were found; acanthocephalans in the larval stage (Centrorhynchidae: Centrorhynchus sp.) and nematodes in the larval stage (Anisakidae: Contracaecum; Ascarididae: Porrocaecum; Physalopteridae: Physaloptera; aff. Cystidicolidae) and adult stage (Rhabdiasidae: Rhabdias sp., R. elegans; Strongyloididae: Strongyloides pereirai; Molineidae: Oswaldocruzia proencai, O. subauricularis; Pharyngodonidae: Parapharyngodon senisfaciecaudus cubensis; Cosmocercidae: Aplectana hylambatis, Cosmocerca parva, C. podicipinus, Cosmocercella phyllomedusae, Schrankiana formosula; Kathlaniidae: Falcaustra mascula). This study presents new host and geographic records and expands knowledge of helminth diversity in a critically threatened group of vertebrates.