Dirofilaria asiatica sp. nov. (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) – Defined using a combined morphological-molecular approach

Abstract

Parasitic nematodes of the family Onchocercidae (superfamily Filarioidea) have evolved alongside vertebrate hosts for millions of years. While morphological methods have played a central role in identifying species, many taxa remain cryptic and are challenging to differentiate, complicating diagnosis and the understanding of their epidemiology. Among the clinically relevant genera are Onchocerca and Dirofilaria, the latter being responsible for illnesses such as heartworm disease in canines and rare zoonotic infections in humans. Despite advances in our knowledge of the canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis), substantial gaps remain regarding other Dirofilaria spp. and genotypes, and their i..