A TOTAL DNA CHARACTERIZATION IN PROTEOCEPHALUS-EXIGUUS AND P-PERCAE (CESTODA, PROTEOCEPHALIDAE) - RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA AND HYBRIDIZATION TECHNIQUES

Two morphologically similar fish tapeworms, Proteocephalus exiguus and P. percae, were differentiated by the random amplified polymorphic DN A (RAPD) marker and Southern-blot hybridization techniques. Four geogr aphic isolates of P. exiguus and two of P. percae were studied using e ight arbitrary decamer oligonucleotides as primers. Species-specific R APD fragments enabled reliable separation of the taxa studied. General ly, 1-3 fragments specific for 19 percae and 1-4 P. exiguus-specific f ragments were detected using individual primers. Intraspecific differe nces in P. percae depended on the primer used. The profiles generated by the primers OPA 04 and OPA 12 showed an intraspecific variation, wh ereas six other primers tested revealed indistinguishable banding patt erns. On the other hand, intraspecific variability of P. exiguus, dete cted among four geographic isolates, was evident using all primers. Ad ditionally, the utilization of two species-specific RAPD markers as ef fective probes was demonstrated. Distinct differences between P. exigu us and P. percae were revealed using each of the restriction enzyme/pr obe combinations.