Validity of genus Perostrongylus Schlegel 1934 with new data on Perostrongylus falciformis (Schlegel 1933) in European badgers Meles meles (Linnaeus 1758): distribution life-cycle and pathology

摘要

BackgroundA century of debates on the taxonomy of members of the Metastrongyloidea Molin, 1861 led to many reclassifications. Considering the inconstant genus assignation and lack of genetic data, the main aim of this study was to support the validity of the genus Perostrongylus Schlegel, 1934, previously considered a synonym of Aelurostrongylus Cameron, 1927, based on new molecular phylogenetic data and to understand its evolutionary relationships with other metastrongyloid nematodes.