Some comments on the taxonomy of the species of the genus Neogrubea Dillon & Hargis, 1968 (Monogenea: Mazocraeidae) and their synonyms

The genus Asymmetria Suriano, 1975 is considered a junior synonym of Neogrubea. Similarly, the species A. symmetria Suriano, 1975 is considered to be a junior synonym of N. soni Evdokimova, 1969, and A. platensis Rey & Meneses, 1985 and possibly N. stromateae Gibson, 1976 junior synonyms of N. seriolellae Dillon & Hargis, 1968.     

Redescription of Flexophora ophidii Prost & Euzet, 1962 (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) from Ophidion barbatum (Ophidiidae) off the Algerian coast,Mediterranean Sea

Systematic Parasitology - The diclidophorid Flexophora ophidii Prost & Euzet, 1962, the type- and only species of the genus Flexophora Prost & Euzet, 1962, has never been...     

A new species of Thaumatocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Dasyatis sabina (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) off the coast of South Carolina

Thaumatocotyle roumillati n. sp. is described from specimens collected in the nasal fossae of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina (Lesueur) from the southeastern coast of the United States, off South Carolina. Thaumatocotyle roumillati is distinguished from congeners by the size and shape of its penis as well as the presence of a spinelike accessory piece associated with the penis.     

Redescription and molecular characterisation of Allogastrocotyle bivaginalis Nasir & Fuentes Zambrano, 1983 (Monogenea: Gastrocotylidae) from Trachurus picturatus (Bowdich) (Perciformes: Carangidae) off the Algerian coast,Mediterranean Sea

Systematic Parasitology - Allogastrocotyle bivaginalis Nasir & Fuentes Zambrano, 1983, the sole species of Allogastrocotyle Nasir & Fuentes Zambrano, 1983, was described from...     

A new species of Neoheterocotyle Hargis, 1955 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the gills of Pristis clavata Garman (Pristidae) from Darwin,Australia

Neoheterocotyle darwinensis n. sp. is described from between the secondary gill lamellae of the dwarf sawfish Pristis clavata Garman (Pristidae) collected at the mouth of Buffalo Creek near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. This is only the second monocotylid species to be described from northern Australia. N. darwinensis is distinguished from the other seven valid species in the genus by the morphology of the hamuli, the dorsal haptoral accessory sclerites and the male copulatory organ. The similarities between N. darwinensis and Nonacotyle pristis Ogawa, 1991 from the gills of the freshwater sawfish Pristis microdon Latham collected in Papua New Guinea are discussed.     

Three species of Dendromonocotyle Hargis, 1955 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) collected from Japanese rays

Systematic Parasitology - Eighteen species of Dendromonocotyle Hargis, 1955 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) have so far been described from elasmobranchs worldwide. In this paper, two new species are...     

Two new species of the family Mazocraeidae Price, 1936 (Monogenea) on clupeiform fishes from Guangdong,China

This paper reports two new species of the family Mazocraeidae from the Pearl River Estuary and the Xijiang River, China. Mazocraeoides xijiangensis n. sp. is found on the gills of Macrura reevesi (Richardson) and Heteromazocraes hexacanthus n. sp. on the gills of Coilia grayi Richardson. A new species name, Heteromazocraes lingmueni, is given to replace Paramazocraes sp. of Ling (1973).     

A new genus of the family dictyopharidae (Homoptera) from Argentina

A new monotypical genus with a new species, Phormotegus lenociniosus gen. et sp. n., is described from Argentina. The new genus is closely related to the genera Taosa Distant and Brachytaosa Muir, but differs from them in the reticulate venation of the submacropterous fore wings with outcurved apices and in the unique position of the hind wings projecting laterally from the apices of the fore wings.     

A new genus of African Karniellina (Orthoptera,Tettigoniidae, Conocephalinae,Conocephalini): integrating morphological,molecular and bioacoustical data

Melanoscirtes gen.n. is established within Karniellina. The members of this subtribe are small conocephaline bush crickets, confined to Africa. Melanoscirtes is erected on Phlesirtes kibonotensis, a species restricted to forest clearings and forest edge in the submontane and montane zones of Mt. Kilimanjaro. A subspecies, M. kibonotensis uguenoensis, is described from the North Pare mountains, a mountain range of the Eastern Arc adjacent to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Further species of Melanoscirtes occur on other mountain ranges of the northern branch of the Eastern Arc mountains of northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. The South Pare mountains harbour M. shengenae; the West Usambaras, M. usambarensis, and the Taita Hills, M. taitensis. All species and subspecies of Melanoscirtes exhibit a similar morphology and occupy analogous habitats on the respective mountains. The song patterns for all species found within this genus are very similar, and this, together with evidence from molecular data, suggests that allopatric speciation is the reason for the biogeographic pattern found in this genus. A key for the subspecies and species of Melanoscirtes is provided.     

Phylogeographical pattern of Mazocraeoides gonialosae (Monogenea, Mazocraeidae) on the dotted gizzard shad, Konosirus punctatus, along the coast of China

In the present study, we examined the phylogeographical pattern of the monogenean, Mazocraeoides gonialosae, which parasitises the dotted gizzard shad (Konosirus punctatus) along the coast of China. Fragments of 756 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene were sequenced for 147 individuals from seven localities along the coast of China. Phylogenetic analysis revealed no significant genealogical clades of samples corresponding to sampling localities. Analyses of molecular variance and pairwise F_ST suggested a high rate of gene flow and the lack of a predictable genetic structure between different populations of this parasite. Both neutrality tests and mismatch distribution analyses indicated a recent population expansion in M. gonialosae after the last glacial maximum. Gradually decreasing genetic diversity in more northerly populations implied a historical south-to-north expansion of this parasite. Dispersal of eggs and larvae with ocean currents was considered to be associated with the genetic homogeneity of this species. The limited time to accumulate genetic variation after the last glacial maximum may also account in part for the lack of phylogeographical structure in the studied region.     

Pauciconfibula patagonensis sp. nov. (Monogenea: Microcotylidae) parasitizing the horsefish, Congiopodus peruvianus (Pisces: Congiopodidae), from the Patagonian Shelf, Argentina

Pauciconfibula patagonensis sp. nov. (Monogenea: Microcotylidae), parasite of gill filaments of the horsefish, Congiopodus peruvianus (Congiopodidae) collected in the Patagonian Shelf, Argentina, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by having intestinal caeca not confluent and entering into the haptor, vitelline follicles extending from the genital pore to near the posterior portion of haptor, two parallel rows each comprised of 16-20 microcotylid clamps in the haptor, 25-43 testes and a fusiform egg with one very long tangled polar filament. P. patagonensis is the only member of the genus known to parasitize a scorpaeniform host and represents the first record of a representative of this genus in the southern Atlantic Ocean.     

A new zoarcid,lycenchelys aurantiaca, from the pacific coast off northern japan (teleostei: Perciformes)

A new zoarcid fish,Lycenchelys aurantiaca, is described on the basis of 10 specimens (86.3–135.8 mm SL) from depths of 500–700 m along the Pacific coast of northern Honshu, Japan. Although this species resemblesLycenchelys alta andL. squamosa in having a smaller number of vertebrae (85–88) and a rather short body, it is distinguished from them by the following characters: pectoral fin rays 13–16; preoperculomandibular pores 7 (4 mandibular pores+3 preopercular pores); reddish yellow body.     

A new diplectanid (Monogenea) genus and species from the gills of the black snook, Centropomus nigrescens (Perciformes: Centropomidae) of the Pacific coast of Mexico

Cornutohaptor nigrescensi n. sp. (Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of the black snook, Centropomus nigrescens (Perciformes: Centropomidae) from the Pacific coast of Mexico. Cornutohaptor n. gen. is proposed for this new species and is characterized by possessing 2 intestinal ceca terminating blindly; a germarium looping right intestinal cecum; bilobed testis; 2 seminal vesicles; 7 pairs of hooks, each with protruding thumb; a grooved ventral bar and coiled male copulatory organ (MCO); an accessory piece comprising a "baglike structure" with an appendage; dorsal bars associated parallelly to body midline; and no adhesive accessory organs on the haptor. Cornutohaptor differs from all confamilial genera by including species with anchors with straight and deep root longest, hook pair 1 reduced in size, MCO with counterclockwise rings, and by the morphology of the accessory piece. Cornutohaptor nigrescensi most closely resembles species of Murraytrema Price, 1937, Lobotrema Tripathi, 1937, and Murraytrematoides Yamaguti, 1958, because of the absence of squamodiscs or lamellodiscs on the haptor and tegumental scales on the posterior portion of the body. Cornutohaptor differs from these genera in the position and number of haptoral bars (2 bars in Lobotrema spp., dorsal bars transversally associated in Murraytrema and Murraytrematoides spp.) and in having a coiled MCO (copulatory organ is a comparatively straight, poorly sclerotized tube in Murraytrematoides spp.). This is the first diplectanid described from a centropomid along the Pacific coast of Mexico.     

A statistical morphological analysis and taxonomic revision of the genus Xiphophora (Fucaceae)

RICE, E. L., 1989. A statistical morphological analysis and taxonomic revision of the genus Xiphophora (Fucaceae). Xiphophora is a brown seaweed endemic to the cool temperature rocky shores of Australia and New Zealand. The two species, X. chondrophylla and X. gladiata have previously been separated by morphological criteria. However, the differences betweeen them in these characters were largely size-related, resulting in taxonomic confusion. In particular, the presence of X. gladiata in New Zealand has been disputed. In this study, a series of discriminant function analyses were performed, based on a suite of morphological characters collected from each species throughout a major portion of their geographic ranges. The results show conclusively that the present taxonomy of Xiphophora is untenable. This genus is composed of two species, but these are distributed latitudinally (either side of the 40^oS parallel). Each species contains two allopatric subspecies; one in Australia and the other in New Zealand. A formal taxonomic revision of the genus is presented.     

A new species of Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) from Taiwan, China, based on morphological and molecular data

Zingiber shuanglongensis sp.nov.is a species endemic to Taiwan,China,that has been found in Nantou and Kaohsiung.In this study,the new Zingiber species is illustrated and the results of morphological a...     

A new species of Nasicola Yamaguti, 1968 (Monogenea: Capsalidae) from the nasal cavities of Thunnnus obesus and a redescription of N. klawei (Stunkard, 1962) from T. albacares off Brazil

Two species of Nasicola Yamaguti, 1968 are described from the nasal cavities of tunas ( Thunnus spp.) from off the coast of Brazil: N. brasiliensis n. sp. from T. obesus (Lowe) and the type-species, N. klawei (Stunkard, 1962), from T. albacares (Bonn.). The new species is differentiated from N. klawei on the basis of the large number of testes and from N. hogansi Wheeler & Beverley-Burton, 1986 by its greater body-size, proportionately smaller haptor and smaller number of marginal spines. The host-specificity of Nasicola spp. is commented upon.     

A new species of Andean toad (Bufonidae, Osornophryne) discovered using molecular and morphological data, with a taxonomic key for the genus

Combining a molecular phylogeny and morphological data, we discovered a new species of Osornophryne from the Amazonian slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. Morphologically, the new taxon is distinguished from all others species in Osornophryne by having the Toes IV and V longer than Toes I-III, a short and rounded snout with a small rostral papilla, and conical pustules on flanks. The new species previously was confused with Osornophryne guacamayo. A taxonomic key is provided for all known species of Osornophryne.     

A new Huffmanela species (Nematoda: Trichosomoididae) parasitizing atherinid fishes in north Patagonian Gulfs, Argentina

Huffmanela moraveci n. sp. (Nematode: Trichosomoididae) is described from the skin of fins and gills of the silversides Odontesthes smitti Lahille, 1949, and Odontesthes nigricans Richardson, 1848 (Pisces: Atheriniformes), from southwestern Atlantic coast, on the basis of the morphology of adults and eggs found in the host tissues. Huffmanela moraveci n. sp. can be distinguished from Huffmanela carcharini, H. banningi, H. japonica, H. mexicana, H. paronai, H. schouteni, H. shikokuensis, H. branchialis, H. filamentosa, H. ossicola, and H. lata by the size and shape of the eggs. The adult stage of H. moraveci n. sp. can be differentiated from H. hufmani and H. canadensis by the position of the nerve ring and by the total esophagus length/body length ratio. Huffmanela moraveci n. sp. also differs from H. huffmani by the presence of bacillary bands and by the body length. This is the first report of a species of Huffmanela in South America, the first report of a species of Huffmanela with Odontesthes spp. as host, and the third known adult form in the genus.