Orectolobicestus n. g. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea), with the description of five new species and the transfer of Phyllobothrium chiloscyllii to the new genus

ORECTOLOBICESTUS N. G. (CESTODA: Tetraphyllidea) is erected for six cestode species parasitising bamboo sharks (Orectolobiformes: Chiloscyllium). Members of this genus differ from all other phyllobothriid genera in possessing modified maisiform spinitriches on their distal bothridial surfaces. In addition, they are easily recognised in that they share the following unique combination of characters: their vitelline fields are interrupted by the ovary, their necks are scutellate, and their bothridia bear an apical sucker and marginal loculi. Five new species of Orectolobicestus are described, including O. tyleri n. sp. from Chiloscyllium punctatum off Borneo, O. lorettae n. sp. from C. cf. punctatum off Australia, O. mukahensis n. sp. and O. kelleyae n. sp. from C. indicum off Borneo, and O. randyi n.sp. from C. hasselti also from off Borneo. In addition, Phyllobothrium chiloscyllii Subhapradha, 1955 is transferred to the new genus. O. chiloscyllii (Subhapradha, 1955) n. comb. is readily distinguished from all five new species in its greater total length. In addition to a number of proglottid features, O. kelleyae n. sp. and O. randyi n. sp. clearly differ from the other three new species in their possession of trifid, rather than fully serrate, spinitriches on their proximal bothridial surfaces. The latter two species conspicuously differ from one another in total number of proglottids (11-21 vs 27-38). O. tyleri n. sp. generally has fewer proglottids than O. lorrettae n. sp. (7-17 vs 13-23) and, like O. mukahensis n. sp., possesses scutes that are spathate rather than elongate. O. tyleri n. sp. is readily distinguished from O. mukahensis n. sp. in its possession of fewer proglottids (7-17 vs. 19-29). The five new species of Orectolobicestus share derived bothridial microthrix features with Phyllobothrium squali Yamaguti, 1952, Thysanocephalum sp., Orygmatobothrium sp., Ruhnkecestus Caira & Durkin, 2006 and species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994. Among these taxa, Orectolobicestus most closely resembles Paraorygmatobothrium and Ruhnkecestus in its vitelline fields being interrupted by the ovary and the possession of a scutellate neck.     

Karualona n.gen. (Anomopoda: Chydoridae), with a description of two new species,and a key to all known species

The species group of Alona karua is raised to generic rank and named Karualona. The genus is defined on the basis of a number of characters of the body and its appendages. Tentative new microcharacters are introduced, related to the type and length of selected setae of P1, P2, P3 and P4. Two new species are described, one from the island of Socotra and one from Mexico. A key to the five currently recognized species is given.     

Orygmatobothrium spp. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea) from triakid sharks in Argentina: redescription of Orygmatobothrium schmitti and description of a new species

Two species of Orygmatobothrium were found inhabiting triakid sharks collected from the coast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Orygmatobothrium schmittii from Mustelus schmitti is redescribed, including new information on the microtrich pattern. Orygmatobothrium juani n. sp. from Mustelus fasciatus can be distinguished from all other species in the genus using the following combination of characters: worm length, number of proglottids, number of testes, testes distribution, size of eggs, ornamented egg shell, shape of bothridial cleft at level of the marginal accessory sucker, and the extension of vitelline follicles. Species in Orygmatobothrium share a common microtrich pattern with the distal bothridial surface covered with maisiform microtriches interspersed with filiform microtriches, a proximal bothridial surface covered with trifid microtriches, with a medial projection conspicuously larger than the lateral basal projections interspersed with filiform microtriches, an inner and outer surface of the accessory sucker and glandulomuscular organ covered with short filiform microtriches, the scolex proper and cephalic peduncle surface covered with bladelike microtriches, and the germinative zone and entire strobila covered with scutes formed by densely packed filiform microtriches. This general configuration is basically similar to the microtrich pattern described in species of Orectolobicestus and Paraorygmatobothrium.     

Description of Scalithrium n. gen. (Cestoda,Tetraphyllidea) with Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb., a parasite of Dasyatis pastinaca (Elasmobranchii,Dasyatidae), as type species

Scalithrium gen. n. (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea) is proposed with Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb., parasite of Dasyatis pastinaca (Elasmobranchii, Dasyatidae) as type-species. The new genus Scalithrium (Tetraphyllidea, Phyllobothriidae, Rhinebothriinae) is erected for several species previously included in the genus Rhinebothrium. These species have a scolex with four bothridia, the distal surface of which is divided by transverse septa in a single row of loculi. Scalithrium minimum (Van Beneden, 1850) n. comb. is redescribed from specimens collected from the type-host Dasyatis pastinaca in Tunisia and becomes the type-species of the new genus. After Braun (1900) Echeneibothrium variabile Van Beneden, 1850 is considered as type-species of the genus Echeneibothrium. Species of Rhinebothriinae to be transferred into the genus Scalithrium are discussed and a key is proposed for the eight species.     

Notomegarhynchus navonae n. gen. and n. sp. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea), from skates (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae) in the southern hemisphere

Notomegarhynchus n. gen. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea) is proposed to accommodate Notomegarhynchus navonae n. gen., n. sp. from Atlantoraja castelnaui in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Notomegarhynchus shetlandicum n. comb. from Bathyraja eatonii and B. maccaini in South Shetlands region, Antarctica, is a second species in the genus. Notomegarhynchus belongs to the Echeneibothriinae within the Phyllobothriidae. It can be distinguished from all other tetraphyllidean genera by the structure of the scolex in form of a massive myzorhynchus consisting of a proscolex and an apical organ, both of which are nonretractable and noninvaginable; in addition, there are 4 pedunculated and nonloculate acetabula. Notomegarhynchus shetlandicum is differentiated from N. navonae particularly in details of acetabular and myzorhynchus morphology, arrangement of testes, and shape of eggs. The inclusion of Notomegarhynchus in the Echeneibothriinae requires emendation of the diagnosis of the subfamily to include taxa possessing postvaginal testes. In addition, new terminology is proposed for distinct regions of the scolex.     

Gymnomeropsylla n. gen. (Siphonaptera: Pygiopsyllidae) from Sulawesi,Indonesia, with the description of two new species

Compared to related genera, this new flea genus is characterized by the absence, or presence of very few, bristles on the external surface of femur I and especially by the morphology of the apex of sternite IX in the male, which is hyaline and lacks spiniform bristles. The two new species, G. bunomydis and G. margaretamydis, are distinguished from each other by the structure of the genitalia, and the presence of numerous erect bristles on the thorax and abdominal tergites of the latter species. Both of these new species parasitize murine rodents that are endemic to Sulawesi; G. bunomydis was collected mainly from Bunomys chrysocomus and G. margaretamydis only from Margaretamys parvus.     

A new generic name for the New Zealand species previously assigned to Simaethis auctorum (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae), with description of a new species

Abstract

The 20 described species of diurnal moths previously in Simaethis auct. (not Leach, 1815) in New Zealand are transferred to Asterivora n.gen. The genus is described and distinguished from other genera in Choreutidae; genitalia of the type-species are figured. Asterivora oleariae, a new species associated with Olearia lyalli Hook.f. (Asteraceae: Compositae) from The Snares and Stewart Island, is described.     

Sinharaja gen. n., a new Uropodina mite genus from Sri Lanka with description of two new species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Uropodidae)

A new Uropodina genus (Sinharaja gen. n.) is described on the basis of two new species (S. ceylonensis sp. n. and S. sinhala sp. n.) from Sri Lanka. The new genus differs by the strongly sclerotised dorsal lines, pentagonal pygidial shield, the shape and length of dorsal setae and the shape of first and fourth hypstomal setae, internal malae and epistome from the other known Uropodina genera.     

Revision of the Progamotaenia zschokkei (Janicki, 1905) complex (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae), with the description of six new species

A review of cestodes currently attributed to Progamotaenia zschokkei (Janicki, 1905) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) suggests that six additional species are present: Pr. tenuis n. sp. found in Thylogale stigmatica (Gould) and T. thetis (Lesson), Pr. lomatosoma n. sp.from Macropus agilis (Gould), Pr. petrogale n. sp. from Petrogale spp. and Macropus dorsalis(Grey), Pr. fimbriata n.s p. from Lagorchestes conspicillatus Gould and L. hirsutus Gould, Pr. obesa n. sp. from Onychogalea fraenata (Gould) and O. unguifera (Gould) in north-eastern Australia and Pr. kellerae n. sp. from O. unguifera in north-western Australia. The new species are differentiated by a combination of characters: prominence of scolex lobes, number of lobes in the fimbriated velum, testis number and distribution, size of the cirrus-sac, morphology of the uterus and presence or absence of a pyriform apparatus in eggs from terminal segments. The morphological differences found support earlier molecular studies, in that cestodes within each host genus are distinct, with the exception that considerable morphological variation exists within Pr. petrogale. Principal components analysis suggested that most of the cestodes from Petrogale spp. belonged to Pr. petrogale. The status of specimens from Pe. lateralis is unclear. More detailed molecular studies are required to determine the significance of the morphological variation within this taxon. A key is provided to species within the complex and the related species Pr. villosa (Lewis, 1914).     

Pseudofornicia gen. n. (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Microgastrinae), a new Indo-Australian genus and one new species from Vietnam

Pseudofornicia gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) is described (type species: Pseudofornicia nigrisoma sp. n. from Vietnam) including three Oriental (type species, Pseudofornicia flavoabdominis (He & Chen, 1994), comb. n. and Pseudofornicia vanachterbergi Long, (nom. n. for Fornicia achterbergi Long, 2007; not Fornicia achterbergi Yang & Chen, 2006) and one Australian species (Pseudofornicia commoni (Austin & Dangerfield, 1992), comb. n.). Keys to genera with similar metasomal carapace and to species of the new genus are provided. The new genus shares the curved inner middle tibial spur, the comparatively small head, the median carina of the first metasomal tergite and the metasomal carapace with Fornicia Brullé, 1846, but has the first tergite movably joined to the second tergite and the third tergite 1.1–1.6 × as long as the second tergite medially and is flattened in lateral view. One of the included species is a primary homonym and is renamed in this paper.     

Anindobothrium n. gen. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea) inhabiting marine and freshwater potamotrygonid stingrays.

Anindobothrium n. gen. is proposed to accommodate Caulobothrium anacolum inhabiting Himantura schmardae from Colombia, and 2 new species, one inhabiting Potamotrygon orbigny in Brazil and the other inhabiting Paratrygon aereiba in Venezuela. Members of the new genus resemble members of Pararhinebothroides, Rhinebothroides, and Anthocephalum by having bothridia with poorly differentiated apical suckers and vasa deferentia expanded into external seminal vesicles. It further resembles Pararhinebothroides, Rhinebothroides, and Anthocephalum cairae by having vas deferens inserted near the poral rather than aporal end of the cirrus sac. The 3 species assigned to the new genus form an apparent monophyletic group, based on the possession of 3 putative synapomorphies: (1) genital pores in the anterior 1/4 of the proglottid, a trait that is unusual, but not unique, among phyllobothriids; (2) anteroventral ovarian lobes converging to the center of the proglottid, a character not previously reported for phyllobothriids; and (3) ovarian lobes comprising a loose network of digitiform processes.     

A new species of Acanthobothrium (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) from the ocellate river stingray, Potamotrygon motoro (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae), in Argentina

Examination of the spiral intestines of 44 freshwater stingrays, Potamotrygon motoro, from tributary rivers of the Parana River in Argentina, allowed for the collection of specimens of an undescribed species of Acanthobothrium. Acanthobothrium ramiroi n. sp. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: asymmetrical hooks (medial and lateral hooks conspicuously different in size and form, with axial prong of medial hooks stouter than abaxial prong), hook size (total length of medial hooks up to 242 microm, total length of lateral hooks up to 239 microm), bothridia not fused to the scolex proper at posterior ends, worm size (51-84 mm long), and the presence of a conspicuous vaginal sphincter. The new species is different from all other species of Acanthobothrium in freshwater potamotrygonids, except Acanthobothrium terezae, in having conspicuous asymmetrical hooks. The main differences that allow for the distinction between A. ramiroi and A. terezae include hook size, the way the bothridia are attached to the scolex proper, and the shape of the older gravid segments. The discovery of a new species of Acanthobothrium from a potamotrygonid extends our understanding of the diversity of the genus in freshwater stingrays in South America.     

Chabaudechina n. g. (Nematoda: Seuratidae), with the description of two new species from dasyurid marsupials from Australia

Chabaudechina presidentei n. g., n. sp. (Seuratidae: Echinonematinae) is described from Sminthopsis virginiae, S. macroura and S. youngsoni (Dasyuridae) from northern Australia. The new genus can be distinguished from all other genera of the Echinonematinae by the morphology and number of rows of cephalic hooks as well as the morphology and arrangement of body hooks and spines. The genus otherwise resembles the echinonematines in spicule morphology and arrangement of cloacal papillae. It resembles Inglechina and Linstowinema in having a triangular mouth opening, no lips and two pairs of double cephalic papillae. C. presidentei differs from C. haycocki n. sp. from Dasycercus cristicauda from central Australia in the number of caudal papillae, the proportions of the alae surrounding the cloaca and the posterior ventral cuticular spination of the male. Chabaudechina sp., found in Planigale spp., could not be identified to species level.     

A new species of Pelomus Reiss, 1989 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae) from the Neotropical Region,with emendation of the generic diagnosis

A new species of Pelomus Reiss, 1989 Reiss, F. 1989. ‘Pelomus gen. nov., ein weiterer potamobionter Vertreter des Harnischia-Komplexes aus dem Amazonasbecken (Diptera, Chironomidae)’. Acta Biologica Debrecina Oecologia Hungarica, 2: 305–314.  [Google Scholar] (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae), P. sophiae sp. n., is described and figured as male, pupa and larva. Diagnoses for male and pupa of the genus are emended. The larvae, reared in the laboratory to obtain all life stages, were collected on bottom sand of reservoir and ponds, in southeast Brazil.