EVIDENCE OF 2 GENETIC ENTITIES IN BOTHRIOCEPHALUS-FUNICULUS (CESTODA)DETECTED BY ARBITRARY-PRIMER POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA-FINGERPRINTING

The genetic diversity of two samples of Cestoda (Bothriocephalus funic ulus, Renaud and Gabrion, 1984) parasitizing two sympatric teleostean species was assessed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). A total of 72 Bothriocephalus were analyzed individually, and electropho retic analysis of the amplification products of 65 primers among the 6 8 tested revealed monomorphic patterns, reflecting the close genetic r elatedness within and between the parasites of the two samples. Howeve r, 3 primers showed polymorphic patterns at 6 RAPD sites. Analysis of the distribution of these genomic fragments, assuming random mating, s howed strong linkage disequilibria (only 8 genetic combinations were o bserved among the 32 expected). Two genetic entities displaying a high degree of host specificity were evidenced within our two samples of B . funiculus. This powerful molecular technique can be used as a diagno stic tool in studies concerning the biodiversity of related genetic en tities and could have broad applications in parasitology.