May - August 2025

The Parasitology editors shortlisted 4 graphical abstracts from articles published in May to August 2025. 

The winner with the most votes on X was: Joel L. N. Barratt et al. from the article:

Genetic diversity within Strongyloides fuelleborni: mitochondrial genome analysis reveals a clear African and Asian division

Abstract: Following the recent report of strongyloidiasis caused by Strongyloides fuelleborni within a semi-captive colony of baboons in a UK safari park, we investigated the genetic relationships of this isolate with other Strongyloides isolates across the world. Whole-genome sequencing data were generated with later phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial (mt) cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and nuclear ribosomal 18S sequences against 300 published Strongyloides reference genotypes. The putative African origin of the UK S. fuelleborni was confirmed and full-length mt genome sequences were assembled to facilitate a more detailed phylogenetic analysis of 14 mt coding regions against all available Strongyloides species. Our analyses demonstrated that the UK isolate represented a novel African lineage not previously described. Additional complete mt genomes were assembled for several individual UK safari park worms to reveal a slightly altered mt genome gene arrangement, allowing clear separation from Asian S. fuelleborni. Furthermore, these UK worms possessed expanded intergenic regions of unknown function that increase their mt genome size to approximately 24 kilobases (kb) as compared with some 16 kb for Asian S. fuelleborni; this may have arisen from unique populational founder and genetic drift effects set within the peculiar mixed species baboon and drill ancestry of this semi-captive primate colony. A maximum likelihood phylogeny constructed from 14 mt coding regions also supported an evolutionary distinction between Asian and African S. fuelleborni.

January - April 2025

The Parasitology editors shortlisted 4 graphical abstracts from articles published in January - April 2025. 

The winner with the most votes on X was C. Le Roux et al. from the article: 

Molecular and morphological characterization of one known and three new species of fish parasitic Trypanosoma Gruby, 1972 from the south coast of South Africa.

Abstract: The genus Trypanosoma Gruby, 1843 encompasses unique, flagellate haemoparasites infecting all vertebrate classes globally (excluding Antarctica). While trypanosomes in terrestrial mammals are well-studied due to their medical and veterinary significance, those in fishes remain largely unexplored, with limited data on their life cycles and ecological roles. Furthermore, the phylogenetic relationships of numerous aquatic species are unresolved. This gap is notable in South Africa, a region with high marine fish biodiversity, yet only 2 documented marine trypanosome species, 1 in teleosts and 1 in elasmobranchs are known. Our research aims to bridge this knowledge gap for marine fish trypanosomes along South Africa’s southern coast. Blood samples were collected from 246 fishes spanning 23 species at Chintsa East, Tsitsikamma (Garden Route National Park), Boknes, Kariega River Estuary and Groot River West Estuary from 2020 to 2023. Giemsa-stained blood smears were screened for trypanosomes, which were morphologically characterized. Molecular analyses targeting the 18S rRNA gene region were conducted on blood samples positive for trypanosomes. Combined morphological and molecular evidence identified 4 Trypanosoma species: 1 known species, Trypanosoma nudigobii from the klipfish (Clinus superciliosus) and 3 new species: Trypanosoma sp. A from the prison goby (Caffrogobius gilchristi), Trypanosoma bakana n. sp. from the white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) and Trypanosoma bokkom n. sp. from 5 mullet species [the grooved mullet (Chelon dumerili), South African mullet (Chelon richardsonii), striped mullet (Chelon tricuspidens), fl athead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) and the freshwater mullet (Pseudomyxus capensis)].

September - December 2024

The Parasitology editors shortlisted 4 graphical abstracts from articles published in September - December 2024. 

The winner with the most votes on X was: Adriano José Silva Félix at al. from the article: 

Two names, one species: redescription and phylogenetic position of Schrankiana formosula Freitas, 1959 provides new insights into the evolutionary history of the Cosmocercidae

Abstract: Schrankiana are gastrointestinal parasites of anurans, distributed throughout Central and South America. Schrankiana formosula and Schrankiana inconspicata are some of the most commonly reported species parasitising anurans from Brazil, and the morphological differences between them are unclear. In the present study, we redescribed S. formosula based on a re-examination of type series and newly collected material from the frog Leptodactylus pentadactylus in the state of Amapá, Brazil. Additionally, we re-examined the type series of S. inconspicata, and propose it as a junior synonym of S. formosula. We provide detailed morphological and morphometric data with intraspecific variation analyses and new molecular data for S. formosula. In the present phylogeny, S. formosula formed a well-supported clade with Raillietnema sp. and Labeonema synodontisi. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and some morphological similarities, our findings support the hypothesis that Schrankiana is a member of the family Cosmocercidae, not Atractidae. Additionally, we provide the first ultrastructural descriptions of S. formosula, and establish the species' phylogenetic position from the Cosmocercidae.