Species of von Nordmann, 1832 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) from cichlid fishes in Lake Tanganyika.

(von Nordmann, 1832) (Ergasilidae) is a species-rich group of parasitic copepods with a wide distribution in freshwater, marine and brackish environments. Up to now, 9 species of are known from cichlid fishes in Africa. In this study, 5 species, including 3 new, were collected from the gills of 12 cichlid species (11 genera: , , , , , , , , , and ) of the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in Burundi, namely (Sars, 1909), (Sars, 1909), . n. sp., . n. sp. and n. sp. All species found were identified and described on the basis of adult female specimens using an integrative taxonomy approach mixing morphological characterization and molecular analyses of 2 ribosomal DNA markers (partial 18S and 28S rDNA sequences). An identification key for species from Lake Tanganyika is included. This study provides the first molecular data for species in Africa. The phylogenetic analyses suggest that the species parasitizing Lake Tanganyikan cichlids form a well-supported clade within the Ergasilidae. However, their phylogenetic relationships with other congeners still remain unclear due to a lack of molecular data for this diverse genus.