Histopathology in Atherina boyeri (Pisces: Atherinidae) resulting from infection by Telosentis exiguus (Acanthocephala)

The histopathology developing in the sand smelt Atherina boyeri Risso 1810 from Northern Italy as the result of a natural infection by Telosentis exiguus Von Linstow 1901 (Acanthocephala) was studied and described. Microscope examination of sections of intestinal tissues showed that the parasites did not penetrate through all intestinal layers, and that damage was mostly limited to the epithelium.     

A gamomermis pachysoma (Linstow, 1905) N. Comb. (Mermithidae: nematoda), a parasite of social Wasps (I)

Summary Gordius vespae vulgaris Baird, 1853, is suppressed as a synonym ofMermis pachysoma Linstow, 1905.M. pachysoma is transferred to the collective groupAgamomermis Stiles, 1903. Examination of the head of the species revealed 16 papillae in six groups and small vase-shaped amphids.

---

Zusammenfassung In dieser Arbeit istGordius vespae vulgaris Baird, 1853 als ein Synonym vonMermis pachysoma Linstow, 1905, beschrieben.M. pachysoma Linstow ist in die kollektive GattungAgamomermis Stiles, 1903 gestellt. Sechzehn Papillen in sechs Gruppen und kleinen vasenförmigen Amphiden waren auf dem Kopf des Artes gefunden.

---

Sommaire Gordius vespæ vulgaris Baird, 1853, est un synonyme deMermis pachysoma Linstow, 1905.M. pachysoma est transféré au genre collectifAgamomermis Stiles, 1903. On rencontre sur la tête de cet animal 16 papilles réparties en 6 groupes et de patites amphides en forme de vase.

---

---

Contribution No. 3814, Entomology Division, Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada.     

Kamegainema cingulum (Linstow, 1902) n. gen., n. comb. (Nematoda: Dracunculidae), a subcutaneous parasite of cryptobranchids (Amphibia: Caudata)

The monotypic Kamegainema n. gen. is proposed for Filaria cingula, a subcutaneous parasite of cryptobranchids. Examination of female specimens recently collected from the Japanese giant salamander, Andrias japonicus, revealed that it belongs to Dracunculidae. Kamegainema is closest to Protenema Petter and Planelles, 1986, the only other dracunculid genus known from Amphibia, but is readily distinguished by having prominent cuticular bosses. Kamegainema cingulum is redescribed.     

Spermiogenesis and spermatozoon ultrastructure of the dilepidid cestode Molluscotaenia crassiscolex (von Linstow, 1890), an intestinal parasite of the common shrew Sorex araneus

Marigo, A.M., Bâ, C.T. and Miquel, J. 2011. Spermiogenesis and spermatozoon ultrastructure of the dilepidid cestode Molluscotaenia crassiscolex (von Linstow, 1890), an intestinal parasite of the common shrew Sorex araneus. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92 : 116–125. Spermiogenesis in Molluscotaenia crassiscolex begins with the formation of a differentiation zone containing two centrioles. One of the centrioles develops a flagellum directly into the cytoplasmic extension. The nucleus elongates and later migrates along the spermatid body. During advanced stages of spermiogenesis, a periaxonemal sheath appears in the spermatid. Spermiogenesis finishes with the appearance of a single helicoidal crested body at the base of the spermatid and, finally, the narrowing of the ring of arched membranes causes the detachment of the fully formed spermatozoon. The mature spermatozoon of M. crassiscolex exhibits a partially detached crested body in the anterior region of the spermatozoon, one axoneme, twisted cortical microtubules, a periaxonemal sheath, and a spiralled nucleus. The anterior spermatozoon extremity is characterized by the presence of an electron‐dense apical cone and a single spiralled crested body, which is attached to the sperm cell in the anterior and posterior areas of region I, whereas in the middle area it is partially detached from the cell. This crested body is described for the first time in cestodes. The posterior extremity of the male gamete exhibits only the disorganizing axoneme. Results are discussed and compared particularly with the available ultrastructural data on dilepidids sensu lato.     

牛背鹭寄生缩迭脱门线虫的重新描述(旋尾目:锐形科)

2006年5月对采自河南省信阳地区的一只牛背鹭进行解剖,从砂囊内检获一批线虫,经鉴定为缩迭脱门线虫Desportesius invaginatus(Linstow,1901)。本文主要对该种线虫进行了描述。本种线虫与前人的描述基本相同,但所采标本虫体尾部较短,雌虫尾端内陷。该种线虫在河南省属首次报道,为河南省新记录种。     

A new species of Pomphorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Palaeacanthocephala) in freshwater fishes from central Chile

This study describes a new species of Pomphorhynchus collected from Percilia gillissi Girard, 1855 from the Za?artu canal, between the sister basins of the Itata and Laja rivers, in central Chile. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. is characterized by an asymmetrical, well-differentiated subspherical bulb and 12-14 longitudinal rows of 13-14 hooks; the third and the fourth hook in each row are stout. Among South American species, P. moyanoi n. sp. shows some similarities to the Chilean species P. yamagutii Schmidt & Hugghins, 1973, but it differs in having a longer neck, larger bulb, and different proboscis armature arrangement. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. differs from P. patagonicus Ortubay, Ubeda, Semenas & Kennedy 1991, in the bulb shape (protuberances), number of rows, fourth hook size and basal hook size. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. also differs from P. sphaericus in the arrangement of hooks (number of rows and hooks per row), length and width of the proboscis, neck width, and symmetry of the bulb.     

Redescription of Heliconema africanum (Linstow, 1899) n. comb. (Nematoda: Physalopteridae), a nematode parasite of freshwater eels (Anguilla spp.) in South Africa

The little-known nematode species Heliconema africanum (Linstow, 1899) n. comb. (Physalopteridae) is redescribed based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations of specimens collected from the stomach of the African longfin eel Anguilla mossambica (Peters) in the Nahoon River, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. This species, previously misidentified as Heliconema longissimum (Ortlepp, 1922), is a common parasite of eels in South Africa. The systematic status of H. longissimum, a species originally described from unidentified Australian snakes, is unclear and probably several morphologically closely related species have been included under this name.     

A new Acanthocephala Breizacanthus ligur sp. n. (Palaeacanthocephala: Arhythmacanthidae Yamatugi, 1935) parasite of some species of benthic fishes from the Ligurian Sea]

Breizacanthus ligur sp.n. is described and figured from several benthic fishes from the Ligurian Sea. The host species are: Argentina sphyraena, Chlorophthalmus agassizi, Gadiculus argenteus, Phycis blennoides, Coelorhynchus coelorhynchus, Capros aper, Callionymus phaeton, Helicolenus dactylopterus. The parasites were considered as belonging to the family Arhythmacanthidae Yamaguti, 1935 and to the genus Breizancanthus Golvan, 1969. Breizancanthus ligur differs from the only two known species of the genus B. irenae and B. chabaudi for the number of longitudinal rows of hooks and-or numbers of hooks in each longitudinal row, arrangment of cement glands, length of body and lenght of male genital apparatus ratio, lenght of female genital apparatus and shape of embroyophore.     

New data on Oncophora melanocephala (Nematoda: Camallanidae), a little-known parasite of scombrid fishes

The camallanid nematode Oncophora melanocephala (Rudolphi, 1819) is redescribed from specimens collected in tunas, Thunnus thynnus (L.), T. albacares (Bonnaterre), T. atlanticus (Lesson) and Auxis thazard (Lacépède) from the Atlantic littoral of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In addition to a specific structure of the buccal capsule, the species is characterized by the presence of seven pairs of preanal and five pairs of postanal subventral papillae in the male and by an unusual shape of body in the adult female; deirids are described for the first time in O. melanocephala. The structure of the buccal capsule of O. melanocephala, particularly the presence of a large posterior portion of capsule and a colourless connecting ring between buccal capsule and oesophagus, shows close affinities of Oncophora Diesing, 1851 with Paracamallanus Yorke et Maplestone, 1928. The findings of O. melanocephala in T. atlanticus and A thazard represent new host records.     

Morphology of Philometroides barbi (Nematoda: Philometridae), a rare tissue parasite of the Mediterranean barbel Barbus meridionalis (Osteichthyes)

A female specimen of the nematode Philometroides barbi Moravec, Simková, Hanzelová, Spakulová et Caki?, 2005, a little-known histozoic parasite of the Mediterranean Barbus meridionalis, was recorded from the fin of its fish host in Bulgaria. Scanning electron microscopical examination, used for the first time in this species, made it possible to determine the character of cephalic papillae (14 papillae arranged in 2 circles) and amphids and confirmed the presence of 4 large caudal lobes. These features distinctly distinguish P. barbi from Philometroides cyprini and other congeners parasitizing European fishes.     

Seasonal transmission ofRaphidascaris acus (Nematoda), a parasite of freshwater fishes,in definitive and intermediate hosts

Synopsis The seasonal transmission ofRaphidascaris acus was studied in two small lakes on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Dragonfly nymphs and caddisfly larvae, acting as paratenic hosts, contained second-stage larvae. Several fishes, including percids and cyprinids, were intermediate hosts with second, third, and fourth-stage larvae in the liver. Yellow perch,Perca flavescens, was the most important of these. Intensities were up to 928 and increased with length and age of the perch; prevalence was 100%. Abundance ofR. acus tended to be higher in females but was not related to condition of the perch. Second-stage larvae were acquired from invertebrates in summer and developed to the fourth stage by November. They became surrounded by fibrous capsules during the next summer but remained alive for at least another year. The longevity of larvae in the intermediate host may ensure survival of the parasite through periods of low host abundance after winterkill. Northern pike,Esox lucius, was the definitive host. Abundance ofR. acus tended to be greater in larger pike but was not related to sex or condition of the fish. The parasite was acquired in late fall. Prevalence was 100% and mean intensities were over 200 in winter and spring, declining to 64–100% and less than 15, respectively, in summer. Mature worms were present from early spring through summer. Seasonality of infection in the definitive host is not attributable to seasonal availability of larvae in perch. Instead it may be controlled by timing of predation on perch and rate of development and longevity of the parasite. Transmission to pike apparently continues in summer. Low intensity may result from low recruitment rate and rapid turnover of the parasite population.     

An introduced generalist parasite, the sticktight flea (Echidnophaga gallinacea), and its pathology in the threatened Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

The sticktight flea, (Echidnophaga gallinacea), a major pest of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) that can cause severe pathology or death if untreated, is rarely recorded in free-living avian species. Sticktight fleas, however, were observed on the federally threatened Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) in February 2004, in south central Florida. Of the 81 Florida scrub-jays (FSJs) sampled before the 2004 breeding season, 12 were infested, with from 1 to as many as 57 fleas. Subsequent survivorship and variation in health indices led us to conclude that the sticktight flea caused the death of several jays. Within 4 mo, 46% of sticktight flea-infested (INF) jays died, whereas in the nonflea-infested (NINF) jays, only 5.9% died. Adult INF birds lost body mass in the time since a previous capture compared with NINF jays, and mass gain was slowed in 1-yr-old INF jays. Hematocrit of INF jays was dramatically impacted, as low as 17%, and was negatively correlated with the extent of infestation. Leukocyte counts were highest in INF jays; however, plasma immunoglobulin levels were lowest. Physiological stress levels, measured using plasma corticosterone, increased more rapidly in INF jays than NINF jays and were positively correlated with heterophil/lymphocyte ratios. The impact of the sticktight flea on the federally threatened FSJ negates previous findings that sticktight fleas are benign in wild avian hosts.