Reproduction of Joturus pichardi and Agonostomus monticola (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) in rivers of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

The freshwater mugilids Joturus pichardi and Agonostomus monticola, have been documented on ecological and distribution aspects, mainly for Central American populations, nevertheless, little information is available on their reproductive aspects, specifically in Colombian freshwater environments. Reproductive biology of the mugilids J. pichardi and A. monticola from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) rivers was studied between July 2005 and December 2006. A total of 14 specimens of J. pichardi and 320 of A. monticola were collected. The reproductive biology was analyzed by means of: sexual proportion, gonadosomatic index, and mean size at maturity, fecundity and oocyte diameter. Additionally, a bioassay was carried out to evaluate the effect of salinity on spermatic motility and its possible relationship with the species' spawning area. These mugilids share habitats with similar ecological characteristics, in which strong currents; clear water and stony areas stand out. Gonadal maturity indicators and indirect evidence are presented to support the relationship between reproductive maturity and higher rainfall levels in the area (September, October and November), as well as the catadromous migration of J. pichardi and A. monticola. This last species females outnumbered males with a sex ratio of 2.3:1. Females mean size at maturity was 172mm of their total length (TL) and 108mm TL for males. Fecundity (F) was 23 925 +/- 4 581 eggs per gram of gonad, and was related to size by the equation F = 395.1TL(1.281); besides, the mean oocyte diameter was 362 +/- 40 microm. Considering the salinity effect on sperm motility in both species, results suggested that J. pichardi spawned in estuarine environments but the species did not migrate to fully marine environments; however, A. monticola withstood a broad range of salinity, suggesting a spawning from intermediate to total saline environments. Both species have high culturing potentials, considering that their feeding is based on plant and macroinvertebrates, their meat quality and the size they are able to reach. These species represent an interesting resource to the fisher groups of the region and should be integrally assessed.     

Nectonema zealandica n. sp. (Nematomorpha: Nectonematoidea) parasitising the purple rock crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi (Brachyura: Decapoda) in New Zealand,with notes on the prevalence of infection and host defence reactions

A new species of Acusicola is described based on adults of both sexes taken from plankton samples collected in the upper reaches of the Piauí River estuary, in the northeast of Brazil. Ovigerous females were present in the plankton. The new species, Acusicola minuta n. sp., can be distinguished from its congeners by its small body size, female antennal morphology and leg setation. The male described here as A. minuta n. sp. is the first known male attributed to the genus.     

Helminths in Mesaspis monticola (Squamata: Anguidae) from Costa Rica, with the description of a new species of Entomelas (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) and a new species of Skrjabinodon (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae)

Entomelas duellmani n. sp. (Rhabditida: Rhabdiasidae) from the lungs and Skrjabinodon cortagoensis n. sp. (Oxyurida: Pharyngodonidae) from the intestines of Mesaspis monticola (Sauria: Anguidae) are described and illustrated. E. duellmani is the sixth species assigned to the genus and is the third species described from the Western Hemisphere. It is easily separated from other neotropical species in the genus by pre-equatorial position of its vulva. Skrjabinodon cartagoensis is the 24th species assigned to the genus and differs from other neotropical species in the genus by female tail morphology.     

Larvae of Contracaecum sp. among inshore fish species of southwestern Australia

Larval nematode infections were investigated in 236 fish from 17 estuarine and near-shore species in southwestern Australia. Larvae of the genus Contracaecum were found in 4 species of fish (Acanthopagrus butcheri, Sillaginodes punctata, Mugil cephalus and Aldrichetta forsteri). The prevalence and intensity of infection was highest in the 2 species of mullet: 81% infected and 9.8 +/- 1.5 larvae fish(-1) for M. cephalus; 100% and 12.7 +/- 3.7 larvae fish(-1) for A. forsteri. There was no evidence of post-mortem migration of worms from the visceral organs to the musculature of the fish.     

Lernanthropid copepods (Siphonostomatoida) parasitic on fishes of the Gulf of Thailand

Five species of copepods (Siphonostomatoida: Lernanthropidae) parasitic on fishes of the Gulf of Thailand are reported. They are: Lernanthropus corniger Yamaguti, 1954 from Megalaspis cordyla (Linnaeus); L. latis Yamaguti, 1954 from Lates calcarifer (Bloch); L. nemipteri Jayasree & Pillai, 1976 from Scolopsis lineata Quoy et Gaimard; L. sillaginis Pillai, 1963 from Priacanthus tayenus Richardson; and Norion tayenus n. sp. from P. tayenus. Except for L. sillaginis, the remaining four species are new to Thailand. Lernanthropus priacanthi Kirtisinghe, 1956 is transferred to Norion as N. priacanthi (Kirtisinghe, 1956) n. comb.     

Acusicola margulisae n. sp. (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) from freshwater fishes in a Nicaraguan crater lake based on morphological and molecular evidence

Systematic Parasitology - The ergasilid copepod Acusicola margulisae n. sp. is described based on material from three species of cichlid, Amphilophus citrinellus (Günther), Parachromis...     

Kniphofia monticola (Liliaceae), a new species from Malawi

Kniphofia monticola Blackmore sp. nov., from Mulanje Mountain in Malawi is described. This new species is most closely related to K. splendida E. A. Bruce, a widely distributed species in tropical and southern Africa.     

Allintoshius bioccai n. sp. (Nematoda), a parasite of the bat Eptesicus furinalis from Paraguay,and new data on A. parallintoshius (Araujo, 1940)

A new species of parasitic nematode (Nematoda: Trichostrongylina, Heligmosomoidea) Allintoshius bioccai n. sp., found in the small intestine of the vespertilionid bat Eptesicus furinalis from Paraguay, is described. The new species can be differentiated from A. urumiac (Freitas and Mendon?a, 1960) by the absence of vulvar spines in females, and from A. nudicaudus (Freitas and Mendon?a, 1963) by the shape of the spicules and the dorsal ray of the copulatory bursa. New data on the morphology and distribution of Allintoshius parallintoshius (Araujo, 1940) are also reported. E. furinalis, Myotis albescens and M. riparius are recorded as new hosts for this species. A key for the identification of the species belonging to the genus Allintoshius is also given.     

Four new xarifiid copepods (Poecilostomatoida) associated with the scleractinian coral <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pavona</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">explanulata</Emphasis> (Lamarck) from off Taiwan

Four new xarifiid copepods are described. They were found in association with the scleractinian coral Pavona explanulata (Lamarck) occurring in shallow water reefs off Yenliao in northern Taiwan. The four species are: Xarifia capillata n. sp., X. parva n. sp., X. pavonae n. sp. and X. taiwanensis n. sp. They were found together in a single washing of the host coral. Previously, 13 species of copepods have been found in association with nine species of Pavona Lamarck. More than half (7/13) of these symbionts are members of Xarifia Humes, 1960.     

Blastodinium galatheanum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae) a parasite of the planktonic copepod Acartia negligens (Crustacea,Calanoida) in the central Atlantic Ocean

A new dinoflagellate species, Blastodinium galatheanum sp. nov., was found parasitizing the planktonic copepods Acartia negligens and Acartia sp. in the Atlantic Ocean between the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands. These copepods have not previously been reported hosting a Blastodinium species. Characters that distinguish the new species are the shape and size of the trophic stage, its host species, and its predominantly solitary existence. Dinospores of Blastodinium galatheanum sp. nov. are peridinioid in nature and morphologically indistinguishable from dinospores of two other previously investigated Blastodinium species. SSU rRNA gene sequences from two isolates of this new species were almost identical and showed similarities to SSU rRNA sequences of other species of Blastodinium. A phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rRNA gene sequences suggested monophyly for all existing sequences of Blastodinium spp., including a sequence from the type species B. pruvoti, presented here for the first time.     

A preliminary study on gill metazoan parasites of Dentex dentex (Pisces: Sparidae) from the western Mediterranean Sea (Balearic Islands)

A preliminary study of the gill parasites from 61 common dentex (Dentex dentex, Pisces, Sparidae) was developed. Seven parasite species were found: one monogenean (Microcotyle erythrini), one udonellidean Udonella caligorum), one digenean trematode (Stephanostomum sp. metacercariae), three copepods (Caligus productus, Caligus diaphanus and Clavellopsis fallax) and one isopod (Gnathia vorax, praniza larvae). Only 1.6% of the fishes examined presented one parasitic species whilst the remainder had two parasitic species (13%), three (26%), four (21%), five (20%) and six different species (18%). The udonellidean U. caligorum was found as a hyperparasite or phoront of the three copepods. Prevalence and other ecological parameters as well as the spatial site of each parasite in the gill tissue are described. The multiparasitic combinations are also examined.     

Description of Echthrogaleus spinulus n. sp. (Copepoda: Pandaridae) parasitic on a torpedo ray from the central Pacific Ocean utilising a morphological and molecular approach

A new species of parasitic copepod, Echthrogaleus spinulus n. sp. (Pandaridae), is described from the torpedo ray Tetronarce tokionis (Tanaka) (Torpedinidae) captured in pelagic Hawaiian waters. The new species has pediger 4 bearing large dorsal plates with denticles on posterior margin, genital complex with posterolateral lobes widely curved medially and overlapping, leg 4 exopod incompletely 3-segmented, and the largest body size (maximum length 16 mm from anterior rim of frontal plates to tip of caudal rami, excluding setae). This morphology does not match any of the seven valid species of Echthrogaleus Steenstrup & Lütken, 1861. Analysis of 28S rDNA sequences separated the new material from the Central Pacific from samples of E. coleoptratus in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans. However, due to the lack of DNA sequences in the databases, the new 28S rDNA sequence cannot used to confirm the species identity. The unique morphological characteristics of the Central Pacific female copepods combined with 28S rDNA sequencing was used as a basis to validate the new species.

     

Parasite biodiversity in a coral reef fish: twelve species of monogeneans on the gills of the grouper Epinephelus maculatus (Perciformes: Serranidae) off New Caledonia, with a description of eight new species of Pseudorhabdosynochus (Monogenea: Diplectanidae)

Coral reefs are known for their high level of biodiversity, but parasite biodiversity has not been evaluated. Cases such as Epinephelus maculatus, described here, show that the numerical estimation of parasite biodiversity in coral reefs could reach more than ten times the number of fish species; consequently, the extinction of certain fish species from endangered coral reefs would result in the co-extinction of at least ten times the number of parasite species. E. maculatus is a grouper of intermediate size (1-2 kg) and common in the coral reefs of New Caledonia, South Pacific. Based on the examination of more than 800 monogenean specimens, 12 species of monogeneans (ten diplectanids and two ancyrocephalids) were differentiated on the gills. These species of diplectanids have not been found in other epinephelines in the same area and thus are considered as specific to this host. In addition, three species of copepods, and isopod larvae, are present on the gills; E. maculatus thus has a total of 16 species of gill ectoparasites, which can be found together on a single individual fish. Diplectanids include Laticola dae Journo & Justine, 2006, which is the most abundant species representing about 50% of the specimens, and nine species which are rare, each representing 2-7% of the specimens: Diplectanum uitoe n. sp. and eight species of Pseudorhabdosynochus Yamaguti, 1958. D. uitoe, provisionally attributed to Diplectanum Diesing, 1858, is characterised by a small conical penis with internal walls. Pseudorhabdosynochus auitoe n. sp., P. buitoe n. sp., P. cuitoe n. sp., P. duitoe n. sp., P. euitoe n. sp. and P. fuitoe n. sp. are differentiated on the basis of the morphology of the sclerotised vagina, but are very similar in other characteristics; P. guitoe n. sp. is characterised by a quadriloculate organ with very thick walls and a very small sclerotised vagina; and P. huitoe n. sp. is characterised by its sclerotised vagina and by very long ventral and dorsal haptoral bars. Two rare (2-3% of specimens) ancyrocephalids, Haliotrema epinepheli Young, 1969 and Haliotrema sp., are briefly described in relation to the male copulatory organs and haptoral bars; H. epinepheli is apparently a generalist species found in various epinephelines and other fish species. A table of the 50 species of diplectanids (Pseudorhabdosynochus, Laticola Yang et al., 2006, Echinoplectanum Justine & Euzet, 2006 and Diplectanum) from serranids is provided.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sagum</Emphasis> Wilson, 1913 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Lernanthropidae) parasitic on reef fishes off the Ryukyu Islands

Two new species of parasitic copepods, Sagum gurukun n. sp. and S. bitaro n. sp. (Siphonostomatoida: Lernanthropidae), are described based on specimens collected from the gill filaments of the double-lined fusilier Pterocaesio digramma (Bleeker) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Caesionidae) and the five-lined snapper Lutjanus quinquelineatus (Bloch) (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Lutjanidae), respectively, caught off Iriomote-jima Island, the Ryukyu Islands, East China Sea, Japan. The findings bring the number of species of Sagum to 14. The two new species are similar in the morphology of the head and the legs 3 and 4 to the three congeners, S. folium Ho, Liu & Liu, 2011, S. paracaesionis Izawa, 2014 and S. vietnamiensis Kazachenko, Kovaleva, Nguyen & Ngo, 2017. Sagum gurukun n. sp. is differentiated from the three congeners by the proportions of the caudal rami, the absence of leg 5, and the shape of the legs 1 and 2. Sagum bitaro n. sp. differs from the three congeners and S. gurukun n. sp. by the presence of the conical leg 5 armed with an apical seta. A key to the species of the genus Sagum, based on the available information on female morphology in previous publications and the present study, is provided. To date, a total of 19 species of lernanthropid copepods considered valid are known in Japanese waters.     

New subgenus of genus Hylaeus (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) with two new records from China

A new subgenus of the genus Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793 is described and illustrated. The subgenus Laxoprosopis subgen. nov. is erected for one new Chinese species, H. (Laxoprosopis ) sichuanensis sp. nov. In addition, H. nipponicus Bridwell, 1919 and H. monticola Bridwell, 1919 are recorded from China for the first time.     

Printed in Great Britain The genus Phyllhermannia (Acari: Cryptostigmata)

The genus Phyllhermannia Berlese, 1916 is redefined. Two main groups of species are postulated within the genus, each being further divided into two subgroups. Known species reviewed completely or in part are: P. dentata, P. bimaculata, P. mollis and P. pulcher . New distribution records are given for the New Zealand species P. foliata, P. forsteri, P. mollis, P. phyllophora and P. rubra , together with a distribution map of all species. Some biogeographical comments are included for the genus. P. africana Balogh, 1958 is redescribed and a new species, P. collofi sp.n., is established. A key to the species of the world is provided.     

Cucullanus bonaerensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) parasitizing Urophycis brasiliensis (Pisces: Phycidae) from Argentinean waters

A total of 8 specimens of Urophycis brasiliensis (Kaup, 1858) from waters off Mar del Plata, Argentina (38 degrees 08'S, 57 degrees 32'W), were examined for parasitic nematodes. A new nematode species, Cucullanus bonaerensis n. sp., is described (prevalence 50%, mean intensity 15.5). The new species differs from its congeners in the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (particularly fourth pair) and phasmids, length of the body and spicules, and by the position of the excretory pore (in the posterior third of esophagus). Species of Cucullanus, reported previously as C. heterochrous Rudolphi, 1812, and Cucullanus sp. from U. brasiliensis from Puerto Quequén, Argentina (38 degrees 37'S, 58 degrees 53'W), are considered as members of the new species.     

Basipodella harpacticola n.gen., n. sp. (Crustacea,Copepoda)

Several stages of the copepodBasipodella harpacticola n. gen., n. sp., which lives as a parasite on harpacticoid copepods, are described on the basis of four individuals obtained from the Peruvian deep-sea. The taxonomic position of the new species is discussed.