Selenidium fauchaldi sp. n. and S. telepsavi (Stuart) comb. nov. (Protozoa,Apicomplexa), Gregarines from Polychaetes*

Gregarine Selenidium fauchaldi sp. n. is described from the intestinal lumen of the polychaete Phragmatopoma californica (Fewkes, 1889) in the intertidal zone of the Pacific Ocean on Santa Catalina Island, California. In addition, the new combination Selenidium telepsavi (Stuart, 1871) comb. nov. is introduced for the gregarine originally described as Monocystis telepsavi from the polychaete Telepsavus castarum in the Black Sea.     

Cochleomeritus emersoni sp. n. (Protozoa,Apicomplexa), a Lecudinid Gregarine from the Pacific Ocean Polychaete Diopatra ornata Moore, 1911*

The gregarine Cochleomeritus emersoni sp. n. is described from the intestine of the marine polychaete Diopatra ornata from the Pacific Ocean off Point Hueneme, California.     

Seven New Eimeria spp. (Protozoa,Coccidia) from Freshwater Fishes of Canada*

Seven new species of Eimeria are described and figured from the freshwater fishes of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. They are Eimeria catostomi sp. n. and E. fernandoae sp. n. from Catostomus commersoni (Lacépède), E. etheostomae sp. n. from Etheostoma exile (Girard), E. hoffmani sp. n. from Umbra limi (Kirtland), E. micropteri sp. n. from Micropterus dolomieui Lacépède E. pungitii sp. n. from Pungitius pungitius (Linnaeus), and E. salvelini sp. n. from Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill). Furthermore, 2 new host records and 2 new distribution records for North America are reported for E. anguillae Léger & Hollande, 1922 and E. truttae Léger & Hesse, 1919 respectively. Finally, morphologically similar oocysts found in various cyprinids are regarded as belonging to E. iroquoina Molnar & Fernando, 1974.     

Ciliate Protozoa in the Rumen of Brazilian Water Buffalo,Bubalus bubalis Linnaeus*

SYNOPSIS Total numbers and distribution of genera, subgenera and species were determined for the ciliate protozoa in rumen contents of 4 Brazilian water buffalo Bubalus bubalis Linnaeus. The fauna of one animal, housed in close proximity to European and zebu-type cattle, differed considerably from that of the remaining animals, which were somewhat isolated on a large ranch. Several of the protozoan species observed in the semi-isolated animals were first described in rumen contents from humped Indian cattle, and their subsequent occurrence in other hosts and geographic locations has been limited or absent. In all, 49 different species of protozoa were found, 8 of which have not been previously described. Three of the new species belong to the genus Entodinium: E. ciculum sp. n., E. spinonucleatum sp. n. and E. triangulum sp. n.: 4 to Diplodinium (Ostracodinium): D. (O.) brazili sp. n., D. (O.) esalqum sp. n., D. (O.) nucleolobum sp. n., and D. (O.) tiete sp. n.; and one to Diplodinium (Eudiplodinium): D. (E.) bubalus sp. n.     

Protosporangium: a New Genus of Protostelids*

Protosporangium is described as a new genus of the mycetozoan order Protosteliida, with 3 new species: P. bisporum, P. fragile , and P. articulatum . The genus is characterized by minute, mostly 2-4-spored sporangia borne on long, slender, flexuous stalks. The spores produce flagellate cells (typically 8 per sporangium) during germination. The trophic stage is holozoic and uninucleate to plurinucleate but never reticulate. Plurinucleate protoplasts segment into uninucleate (sometimes binucleate) prespore cells that culminate to form sporocarps in the manner characteristic of protostelids.     

A New Family of Entodiniomorph Protozoa from the Marsupial Forestomach, with Descriptions of a New Genus and Five New Species

ABSTRACT. A unique group of entodiniomorph protozoa was found in forestomach contents from quokka ( Setonix brachyurus ), western grey kangaroo ( Macropus fuliginosus ), red kangaroo ( Macropus rufus ) and euro ( Macropus robustus erubescens ). A new genus, Macropodinium n.g., containing five new species, is described. Three species are described from forestomach contents of the quokka: Macropodinium baldense n. sp., Macropodinium moiri n. sp. and Macropodinium setonixum n. sp. A single species, Macropodinium ennuensis n. sp., is described from the red kangaroo and euro. The last species, Macropodinium yalanbense n. sp., is described in forestomach contents from the western grey kangaroo. At least three distinct features in the new genus are incompatible with any of the described families in the order Entodiniomorphida. On this basis, the new family Macropodiniidae has been created.     

Coccidia (Protozoa: Eimeridae) of the Herbivorous Mole-Rat, Spalax leucodon Nordmann

SYNOPSIS. A survey of 96 herbivorous mole-rats, Spalax leucodon Nordmann, in Lalahan district of Ankara, Turkey, revealed the presence of 6 new species of coccidia. The species found, the shape and average length-width dimensions (in micrometers) of their oocysts, and the numbers of animals from which they were isolated were as follow: Eimeria lalahanensis sp. n., subspherical to ellipsoidal (20.3 × 12.5), from 10; Eimeria tuzdili sp. n., spherical to subspherical with radially striated oocyst wall, (20.5 × 16.5), from 3; Eimeria spalacis sp. n., ellipsoidal to cylindrical (16.3 × 9.8), from 90; Eimeria elliptica sp. n., ellipsoidal (14.3 × 10.1), from 8; Eimeria turkmenica sp. n., ellipsoidal (11.3 × 8.9), from 1; Isospora anatolicum sp. n., spherical (7.6 × 5.1), from 1 animal. The overall infection rate for 96 examined herbivorous mole-rats was 100%.     

Sarsicopia polaris gen. et sp.n., the first platycopioida (Copepoda: Crustacea) from the Arctic Ocean,and its phylogenetic significance

A new genus of Platycopioida is described from a boxcore sample taken at a depth of 534 m in the ArcticBarents Sea. This is the deepest record ofPlatycopioida so far. Sarsicopia gen. n. is thesistergroup of a taxon comprising Platycopia and Nanocopia; the sistergroup ofthese is Antrisocopia. Sarsicopia gen. n.is the only platycopioid to retain 2 inner setae onthe second endopod segment P2–P4, and 8 setae in thethird endopod segment of P2. The male antennnule isremarkable in having a geniculation located betweenancestral segments XX and XXI. It is suggested thatthis flexure zone was already present in thegroundpattern of Copepoda. Platycopia and Nanocopia have secondarily lost thisgeniculation.     

The Status of Knowledge of the Genus Ecdyonurus in the Iberian Peninsula,with Description of Two New Species of the E. venosus Group from Spain (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae)

As a result of studies of material of Ecdyonurus from Spain, nymphs and adults of two new species, E. baeticus sp. n. and E. olgae sp. n., are described. Three species described by Navás must be considered as nomina dubia (E. diversus Navás, 1923, E. excelsus Navás, 1927 and E. fluminum var. speciosus Navás, 1915). Variability in adults of E. venosus is figured and discussed.     

New data on the genus Chrysotoxum Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) from North-East Turkey,Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran including descriptions of three new species

New data and records of the genus Chrysotoxum Meigen, 1803 are reported, arising from taxonomic and faunistic examination of adult specimens collected from 1920 to 2011 from four northeastern provinces of Turkey (Erzurum, Bayburt, Kars, and Artvin), and from the neighboring countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. Three new species are described: Chrysotoxum antennalis Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n., C. clausseni Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n. and C. persicum Vuji?, Nedeljkovi? &; Hayat sp. n. The first two are known only from northeastern Turkey, and the third also occurs in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. These new species have in common an antenna with the basoflagellomere being shorter than the scape and pedicel together.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4C264678-8E47-4DE0-AC7D-91DABC597BCD     

Systematics of the Eimerian Parasites from North American Snakes of the Family Colubridae,and their Prevalence in the Colubrids of Iowa*

A survey of 117 Iowa snakes, representing 18 species within 12 genera, revealed the presence of 6 species of Eimeria, 5 of which are described as new and 1 of which (E. zamenis) is redescribed. Those species found, the average length-width dimensions of their oocysts ( in micrometers ), and the respective hosts from which they were isolated were as follows: E. attenuata sp. n., 22.2 × 12.6, from 1 of 25 red-sided garter snakes [Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Say)] and 1 of 14 northern water snakes [Natrix sipedon sipedon (Linnaeus)]; E. iowaensis sp. n., 17.8 × 14.5, from 1 of 25 redsided garter snakes; E. hydrophis sp. n., 15.4 × 10.9, from 5 of 14 northern water snakes and 1 of 1 diamond-backed water snake [N. rhombifera rhombifera (Hallowell)]; E. helmisophis sp. n., 13.8 × 10.6, from 1 of 5 western worm snakes [Carphophis amoenus vermis (Kennicott)]; E. collanuli sp. n., 33.1 × 18.3, from 1 of 14 prairie ring-neck snakes (Diadophis punctatus arnyi Kennicott), and E. zamenis, 31.0 × 17.0, from 1 of 6 eastern yellow-bellied racers (Coluber constrictor flaviventris Say) and 1 of 1 eastern milk snake [Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum (Lacépède)]. The overall infection rate for the 117 snakes examined was 9.2%; these data are tabulated. In addition, the possible synonymy of E. lampropeltis with E. zamenis is considered, and the probable status of E. attenuata, E. hydrophis, E. zamenis, and E. annea, as parasites of multiple host species, is reviewed with regard to the phylogenetic relationships of the respective hosts from which they have been reported.     

Phylogeny of marine Gregarines (Apicomplexa)--Pterospora, Lithocystis and Lankesteria--and the origin(s) of coelomic parasitism

Gregarines constitute a large group of apicomplexans with diverse modes of nutrition and locomotion that are associated with different host compartments (e.g. intestinal lumena and coelomic cavities). A broad molecular phylogenetic framework for gregarines is needed to infer the early evolutionary history of apicomplexans as a whole and the evolutionary relationships between the diverse ultrastructural and behavioral characteristics found in intestinal and coelomic gregarines. To this end, we sequenced the SSU rRNA gene from (1) Lankesteria abbotti from the intestines of two Pacific appendicularians, (2) Pterospora schizosoma from the coelom of a Pacific maldanid polychaete, (3) Pterospora floridiensis from the coelom of a Gulf Atlantic maldanid polychaete and (4) Lithocystis sp. from the coelom of a Pacific heart urchin. Molecular phylogenetic analyses including the new sequences demonstrated that several environmental and misattributed sequences are derived from gregarines. The analyses also demonstrated a clade of environmental sequences that was affiliated with gregarines, but as yet none of the constituent organisms have been described at the ultrastructural level (apicomplexan clade I). Lankesteria spp. (intestinal parasites of appendicularians) grouped closely with other marine intestinal eugregarines, particularly Lecudina tuzetae, from polychaetes. The sequences from all three coelomic gregarines branched within a larger clade of intestinal eugregarines and were similarly highly divergent. A close relationship between Pterospora schizosoma (Pacific) and Pterospora floridiensis (Gulf Atlantic) was strongly supported by the data. Lithocystis sp. was more closely related to a clade of marine intestinal gregarines consisting of Lankesteria spp. and Lecudina spp. than it was to the Pterospora clade. These data suggested that coelomic parasitism evolved more than once from different marine intestinal eugregarines, although a larger taxon sample is needed to further explore this inference.     

Taxonomy and Review of the Coccidian Genus Cryptosporidium (Protozoa,Apicomplexa)1

Reports of Cryptosporidium in various hosts and cross-transmission experiments are reviewed. Cryptosporidium has been found in mammals (Primates, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Lagomorpha, and Rodentia), birds, reptiles, and fish. The only cross-transmission attempts that have been made have been from mammals to other mammals and to a few birds. Names have been given to 19 “species,” but it is concluded that only four of these should be considered valid at present. These are: C. muris Tyzzer, 1907 in mammals, C. meleagridis Slavin, 1955 in birds, C. crotali Triffit, 1925 in reptiles, and C. nasorum Hoover, Hoerr, Carlton, Hinsman & Ferguson, 1981 in fish.     

Sphaeromyxa maiyai sp. n. (Protozoa: Myxosporidea), Coelozoic Parasite of the Pacific Tomcod,Microgadus proxiimus*

SYNOPSIS. Sphaeromyxa maiyai sp. n. (Myxosporidea: Myxiidae) is described from the gall bladder of the Pacific tomcod Microgadus proximus Girard, from Newport, Oregon. The plasmodial stage is discoid averaging between 1 and 2 cm. The spore averages 27.6 × 5.6 μm in breadth, with pyriform polar capsules measuring 9.3 × 3.7 μm. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the presence of numerous longitudinal striations.     

Peltidiphonte gen. n., a New Taxon of Laophontidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from Coral Substrates of the Indo-West Pacific Ocean

A new genus of the harpacticoid family Laophontidae is described and named Peltidiphonte gen. n. Eight new species are assigned to this genus; they were collected from different locations in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, including the Comoros, the Kenyan coast, the Red Sea, the Andaman Islands, the northern coast of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the northeastern coast of Australia. Most of the specimens were collected from dead coral substrates, suggesting a close affinity between the members of the new genus and this substrate. Peltidiphonte gen. n. can easily be discriminated from other genera of the family by the extremely depressed body and by the shape of the antennule, bearing two (or three) processes on the first segment and a hook-like process along the outer margin of the second segment. An identification key for the new genus is provided.     

Marine Amebae From Clean and Stressed Bottom Sediments of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico*,†,‡

SYNOPSIS Amebae isolated from sediments of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico were maintained in continuous culture and most were identified to genus and species. Twenty-six species representing 12 genera were recognized from existing literature and several others (Flabellula, Mastigamoeba, Cochliopododium) were identified only to genus. One ameboflagellate and several small limax-type amebae which require further study also were isolated. Other sarcodmids belonging to the Heliozoida, Testocida, Leptomyxida, and Proteomyxida were identified only tentatively. the distribution of the amebae and ameba-like organisms was tabulated for the following geographic areas: Atlantic Ocean near Long Island, New York: Atlantic Ocean 16-65 miles offshore from New York and New Jersey: Atlantic Ocean 1-50 miles offshore from Maryland and Delaware: and the Gulf of Mexico 3.5-41 miles offshore from the southeastern United States. Amebae present in shellfish holding trays at Lewis. Delaware, were isolated, and identified to compare the distribution of species in laboratory tanks with those present in natural ocean bottoms. Published accounts of each collection site were reviewed to obtain specific data on contamination with sewage wastes, acid wastes, dredge spoils, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Two previously undescribed amebae were found to represent new genera and species and are described herein, one from the Delaware mariculture facility, and the other from the digestive tract of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, and the gill surface of the lady crab, Ovalipes ocellatus. Sarcodinids present in clean or stressed environments were listed, and genera and species that were widespread or apparently geographically restricted were recorded.     

Eurhopalothrix depressa sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Southern Brazil with a Key to the Neotropical Taxa of the Genus

Eurhopalothrix depressa sp. n. is described from Southern Brazil. The species belongs to the bolaui group characterised by well developed propodeal teeth and large specialized clavate hairs on the body. It can be distinguished from all other neotropical Eurhopalothrix species by a distinct ridge dividing the head into a lower anterior and a higher posterior part and by the reduced number of 16 specialised hairs on the head. A key to all New World species of Eurhopalothrix is added.     

Phycodrys valentinae sp. nov. (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) with Discussion of Other Species of the Phycodrys Genus from the North Pacific

A new species Phycodrys valentinae Seliv. et Zhigad. from the northwest of the Bering Sea, distinct from other species of the genus Phycodrys by the presence of a distromatic lamina and by the arrangement of basal generative prolifications, was described. Based on the analysis of the morphological and anatomic traits of species of the genus Phycodrys, P. serratiloba (Rupr.) A. Zin., which was considered as synonym of P. riggii Gardn. to the present [27, 28, 30], was reinstated as an independent species. The taxonomic status of other representatives of the genus Phycodrys of the studied region is considered. In our opinion, five species of the genus Phycodrys (P. serratiloba, P. riggii, P. amchitkensis, P. vinogradovae, and P. valentinae) grow in the seas of the Russian Far East.