Salford University PhD Student discovers a new species of parasite
The area around Malham Tarn is an area of special scientific interest and is a complex ecosystem with woodland, moorland and wetland bog all interacting with this upland lake. The parasites found in rodents in this complex ecosystem were the subject of her PhD study carried out in the School of Environment & Life Sciences at Salford University alongside her supervisors, Professors Mike Rogan, Phil Craig, and Geoff Hide.
Kellyanne initially identified the parasite as unusual when she was examining voles, trapped as part of her PhD project, looking for another parasite. She recognized that the parasite could not be identified using traditional guides and papers. Following much intensive work, collecting large numbers of samples, careful measurement of the parasites, characterisation using DNA based forensic-like techniques and an exhaustive search of the scientific literature, she was able to definitively determine this as a new species to science. Preserved type specimens are now housed both at the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Salford with DNA data being stored on international databases. Kellyanne’s paper was published in October 2012 in the highly respected, 100 year old, scientific journal “Parasitology”. It reports the complete first detailed description of the new species and what is known of its lifecycle. For Kellyanne, this is a unique experience – very few biologists can claim to have discovered a new species in their careers!
Publication Details
K. Boyce, G. Hide, P. S. Craig, P. D. Harris, C. Reynolds, A. Pickles and M. T. Rogan. (2012). Identification of a new species of digenean Notocotylus malhamensis n. sp. (Digenea: Notocotylidae) from the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and the field vole (Microtus agrestis). Parasitology 139: 1630 -1639
