Molecular and morphological characterization of Contracaecum pelagicum (Nematoda) parasitizing Spheniscus magellanicus (Chordata) from Brazilian waters.

Three new sequences of Mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 2 (mtDNA cox-2) from C. pelagicum parasite of Spheniscus magellanicus, the Magelanicus penguin, were determined from Brazilian waters. The sequences presented 99 and 98% of similarity with C. pelagicum sequences from Argentina, deposited on GenBank for the same genetic region and with a strong statistical support inferred from the phylogenetic tree. The morphological and ultrastructural studies that were carried out confirmed the genetic analysis.