Neoascarophis macrouri n. sp. (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) from the stomach of Macrourus berglax (Macrouridae) in the eastern Greenland Sea

A new species of parasitic nematode, Neoascarophis macrouri n. sp. (Cystidicolidae), is described from the stomach and stomach wall of the marine deep-water fish Macrourus berglax (onion-eye grenadier) in the eastern Greenland Sea (North Atlantic Ocean). The new species, studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy, is characterised mainly by the location of the vulva near the posterior end of the body (a short distance anterior to the anus), non-filamented eggs, the structure of the mouth, a short vestibule and the length of the spicules (567-615 and 144-156 mum). Metabronema insulanum Solov'eva, 1991 is transferred to Neoascarophis as N. insulana (Solov'eva, 1991) n. comb.     

Nematodirus nemorhaedi sp. n. (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) from the Amur goral Nemorhaedus caudatus raddeanus]

Nematodirus nemorhaedi sp. n. is described. The new species was found in the small intestine in three long-tailed gorals from the Maritime Territory. The species differs from other species of the genus, parasites of ungulates, by very large (over 1.5 mm) spicules and characteristic structure of their distal end in males; by long (about 1 mm) ovijector in females and by a specific combination of characters of synloph, genital bursa in males, sizes of body, structure of vulva, sizes and shape of eggs and tail in females.     

Dentiphilometra monopteri n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the abdominal cavity of the ricefield eel Monopterus albus in China

A new genus and species of philometrid nematode Dentiphilometra monopteri n. gen., n. sp., are described on the basis of the specimens found in the abdominal cavity of the ricefield eel (swamp-eel) Monopterus albus (Zouiev) from Liangzi Lake (the Yangtze River drainage system), Hubei Province, in central China. Dentiphilometra, assigned to the Philometrinae, differs from other genera of this subfamily mainly in the presence of a sclerotized oral ring armed on its inner surface by numerous small peribuccal teeth in the gravid female. The new species is characterized by minute cephalic papillae, a greatly developed anterior esophageal bulb separated from the cylindrical part of the esophagus, anterior extention of the esophageal gland anterior to the nerve ring, and by large caudal projections in females and equal spicules 0.051-0.096 mm long in males. This is the second philometrid species recorded from fishes of the Synbranchiformes.     

Nematodes from the squeaker fishes Synodontis nigromaculatus and S. vanderwaali from the Okavango River, Botswana, including three new species

Five nematode species were recorded from the stomach and rectum of the spotted squeaker Synodontis nigromaculatus Boulenger or the finetooth squeaker S. vanderwaali Skelton & White (Mochokidae, Siluriformes) from the Okavango River, Botswana: Falcaustra similis n. sp. (Kathlaniidae), Labeonema africanum n. sp. (Cosmocercidae), Synodontisia okavangoensis n. sp. (Pharyngodonidae), Procamallanus ( Procamallanus ) laeviconchus (Wedl, 1861) (Camallanidae) and Spinitectus sp. (Cystidicolidae) (only a single female). F. similis (type-host Synodontis nigromaculatus ) differs from the similar species F. straeleni Campana-Rouget, 1961 mainly by the number and disposition of the male caudal papillae and the structure of the mouth; L. africanum (type-host S. nigromaculatus ) differs from its congeners in having distinctly longer spicules (105-120 microm), a relatively shorter gubernaculum (30-36 microm) and in the number and arrangement of the male caudal papillae; Synodontisia okavangoensis (type-host Synodontis nigromaculatus ) is characterised principally by crescent-shaped cephalic papillae, length (87 microm) and shape of the spicule as well as large eggs (0.156-0.180x69-102 microm). Synodontisia moraveci Anderson & Lim, 1996 is transferred to a newly established genus, Royandersonia n. g., (as its type-species) as R. moraveci (Anderson & Lim, 1996) n. comb. Some taxonomic problems concerning Procamallanus ( P .) laeviconchus are discussed. All species were studied by scanning electron microscopy for the first time.     

Longidorus ferrisi n. sp. from California Citrus

In October 1999, the authors received fixed specimens of a species of Longidorus from Howard Ferris found about the roots of a citrus tree in Oakville, Napa County, CA. After determining it to be new a species, we requested additional specimens. The samples contained roughly equal numbers of males and females. Longidorus ferrisi n. sp. is most similar to L. elongatus, but can be distinguished by a greater c-ratio (111-187 vs 73-141), a lesser c′ (0.7-1.1 vs 1.0-1.3), a more offset head, a more posterior guide ring (35-40 vs 30-33 μm), the presence of sperm in the uterus in mature females, and the approximate 1:1 ratio of females to males. Other similar species include L. artemisiae, L. crassus, L. glycines, and L. milanis. Longidorus ferrisi n. sp. differs from L. artemisiae by a lesser a-ratio (74-102 vs 109-155), a lesser c′ value (0.7-1.1 vs 1.0-1.6), a more posterior guide ring (35-40 vs 27-34 μm), a longer odontostyle (91-108 vs 84-98 μm), a wider lip region (16-19 vs 14-17 μm), wider mid-body (53-69 vs 41-52 μm), and longer spicules (57-65 vs 39-49 μm). The new species differs substantially from L. crassus by its lip shape and the presence of males, and differs from L. glycines by a shorter body (4.33-5.97 vs 6.14-8.31 mm), a lesser c′ value (0.7-1.1 vs 0.9-1.4), a narrower lip region (16-19 vs 20-23 μm), wider mid-body (53-69 vs 39-57 μm), longer spicules (53-69 vs 45-53 μm), and fewer supplements (7-11 vs 11-17). Longidorus ferrisi n. sp. differs from L. milanis by a longer body (4.33-5.97vs 3.00-4.90 mm), a greater c value (111-187 vs 86-130), a wider mid-body (53-69 vs 43-56 μm), a different head shape, and longer spicules (53-69 vs 41-54 μm). The nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA sequence of this species revealed that this species is unique with respect to all sequenced Longidorus species.     

A new species of Comephoronema (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) from the stomach of the abyssal halosaur Halosauropsis macrochir (Teleostei) from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A new species of parasitic nematode Comephoronema macrochiri n. sp. (Cystidicolidae), is described from the stomach of the marine deep-sea fish Halosauropsis macrochir (abyssal halosaur) from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The new species, studied with both light and scanning electron microscopy, is characterized mainly by 6 pairs of preanal papillae, by which it principally differs from members of Ascarophis; the spicules are 297-375 microm and 99-120 microm long and fully developed eggs possess 2 long filaments on 1 pole. Rhabdochona beatriceinsleyae is transferred to Comephoronema as C. beatriceinsleyae (Holloway and Klewer, 1969) n. comb. Comephoronema macrochiri differs from all other congeners mainly in having eggs with filaments on 1 pole only, and from individual species by some additional features such as the number of preanal papillae, the shape of pseudolabial projections, and the body and organ measurements.     

Co-occurrence of Pectinospirura argentata Wehr, 1933, Skrjabinoclava andersoni n. sp. and larvae (Nematoda: Acuariidae) in the proventriculus of Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein (Aves: Laridae), with notes on their attachment

Pectinospirura argentata Wehr, 1933, Skrjabinoclava andersoni n. sp. and acuariid larvae, collected from the proventriculus of the kelp gull Larus dominicanus from coastal Buenos Aires, Argentina, are described. This is the first record of the genus Pectinospirura Wehr, 1933 from South America and from the kelp gull. The measurements of both sexes are given because there are some differences with previously described specimens of P. argentata; the male is smaller with smaller spicules and the female is larger with smaller eggs. Skrjabinoclava andersoni n. sp. can be distinguished for all other species in the genus by the morphology of both spicules and by the cuticle which is not inflated anteriorly. This genus is reported for the first time in the kelp gull and from Argentina.     

Steinernema sichuanense n. sp. (Rhabditida, Steinernematidae), a new species of entomopathogenic nematode from the province of Sichuan, east Tibetan Mts., China

Steinernema sichuanense n. sp. is characterized by male, female and IJ. For male, the spicules are robust with prominent rostrum; gubernaculum has blunt anterior end; cuneus is arrow-shaped, pointed posteriorly. Second-generation male has a prominent mucron. For female, tail usually has one to four papillae-like projections on tail tip; post anal swelling is absent. For IJ, body length is about 710 microm; lateral field has six ridges; the formula of lateral field is 2, 5, 6, 4, 2 with two prominent submarginal ridges; tail usually has a dorsal depression. In Steinernema affine/intermedium group, the IJ of S. sichuanense n. sp. differs from S. affine by its absence of the internal tail spine; differs from Steinernema beddingi by its six ridges in lateral field compared to 4 for S. beddingi. For male mucron is absent in both generations of S. affine, S. intermedium and S. beddingi, whereas it is present in the second-generation of S. sichuanense sp. n. Morphology and morphometrics of spicules and gubernacula of the four species in S. affine/intermedium group are quite different based on SEM photographs. For female, the postanal swelling is absent in the first-generation of S. sichuanense n. sp. whereas S. affine and S. intermedium have slight swelling and S. beddingi has conspicuous swelling. The new species is further recognized by characterization of sequences of ITS and D2/D3 regions of the ribosomal DNA. The symbiotic bacterium associated to S. sichuanense belongs to the species Xenorhabdus bovienii.     

Spirocamallanus cricotus sp. n. and S. halitrophus sp. n. (Nematoda: Camallanidea) from fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Spirocamallanus cricotus sp. n. (= S. pereirai, in part) and S. halitrophus sp. n. are described from marine fishes of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Spirocamallanus cricotus has a ledge anterior to the basal ring in the buccal capsule, similar spicules with a ratio of 1:1.4 to 2.1, 3 pre- and 5 postcloacal papillae, and 8 rectal glands in the female; S. halitrophus lacks the ledge and possesses dissimilar spicules with a ratio of 1:1.3 to 1.8, 3 pre- and 6 postcloacal papillae, and 4 rectal glands in the female.     

Neoascarophis macrouri n. sp. (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae) from the stomach of Macrourus berglax (Macrouridae) in the eastern Greenland Sea

A new species of parasitic nematode, Neoascarophis macrouri n. sp. (Cystidicolidae), is described from the stomach and stomach wall of the marine deep-water fish Macrourus berglax (onion-eye grenadier) in the eastern Greenland Sea (North Atlantic Ocean). The new species, studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy, is characterised mainly by the location of the vulva near the posterior end of the body (a short distance anterior to the anus), non-filamented eggs, the structure of the mouth, a short vestibule and the length of the spicules (567–615 and 144–156 μm). Metabronema insulanum Solov’eva, 1991 is transferred to Neoascarophis as N. insulana (Solov’eva, 1991) n. comb.     

Strongyloides spearei n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongyloididae) from the common wombatVombatus ursinus (Marsupialia: Vombatidae)

Strongyloides spearei n. sp. is described from the small intestine of the common wombatVombatus ursinus from Healesville, Victoria. The new species is distinguished from all known congeners by: the triangular shape of the stoma and the length of the parasitic female; the blunt spicules in the free-living male; and the presence of eggs in the faeces of the host.S. spearei andS. thylacis Mackerras, 1959 form a separate group withinStrongyloides based on both species infecting marsupials, having directly recurrent ovaries in the parasitic female and having blunt spicules in the free-living male. The histological localisation ofS. spearei is predominantly within the crypts of the small intestine.     

Steinernema ceratophorum n. sp. (Nematoda: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from north-east China

Steinernema ceratophorum n. sp. was isolated from soil in Liaoning and Jining Provinces of China. Morphological, cross-breeding and DNA studies support the distinctiveness of S. ceratophorum n. sp. in comparison with four morphologically similar Steinernema species: S. affine, S. intermedium, S. riobrave and S. bicornutum. Diagnostic characters include: body length of infective juvenile, juvenile lip region with two horn-like structures and lateral field with six or eight longitudinal ridges; tail tip of first and second generation males lacking mucron; spicules of first generation male curved, dark yellow in colour and 71 µm long; tail tip of first generation female with small mucronate projection; and second generation female with fine mucronate process about 5.5 µm long. In addition, the restriction fragment length pattern (RFLP) of the ITS region of the ribosomal DNA repeat unit is different from other Steinernema spp., and S. ceratophorum n. sp. did not hybridise with S. riobrave, the species with the most similar RFLP.     

Age‐dependent relationships between coloration and reproduction in a species exhibiting delayed plumage maturation in females

Males of many bird species exhibit delayed plumage maturation (DPM), a condition in which young individuals display an immature plumage. Several adaptive hypotheses have been suggested for the signaling utility of DPM in males. Tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor, however, are one of the few bird species to exhibit DPM in females, but not in males. Few studies have focused on the age‐dependent signaling function of female plumage traits due to the uncommon nature of DPM in females. Therefore, we used reflectance spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy of sub‐adult (melanin‐based brown) and adult (iridescent‐blue structural) female tree swallows to characterize plumage coloration. Next, we asked whether variation in plumage coloration in females reflects condition and reproductive performance between and within age classes. We found that older females were in better body condition and laid eggs earlier in the season compared to young females; however, average egg mass and reproductive success (number of offspring fledged and offspring condition) did not differ between age classes. There were significant relationships indicating that young females with more‐ornamented (darker brown melanin) plumage laid smaller eggs, but hatched eggs earlier in the season leading to nestlings in better condition compared to less‐ornamented young females. Older females that were more ornamented (brighter, greater blue chroma, and lower hues in iridescent plumage) laid heavier eggs, but ornamentation was negatively associated with immune function, health, and reproductive success. Together, these data suggest that female ornamentation reflects reproductive performance and that there are complicated relationships between plumage coloration, condition, and reproductive performance that ultimately influence reproductive success.     

Two new species of parasitic nematodes from the dogtooth tuna Gymnosarda unicolor (Pisces) off the Maldive Islands

Two new nematode species, Philometra gymnosardae n. sp. (Philometridae) and Heptochona maldivensis n. sp. (Rhabdochonidae), are described from the dogtooth tuna Gymnosarda unicolor (Rüppell) (Scombridae, Perciformes) from the Indian Ocean off the Maldive Islands (Republic of Maldives). The former species is characterized mainly by unequal, conspicuously long (859 and 435 microm) spicules; the structure of the caudal end in the male (found in the host's stomach); by markedly large, oval cephalic papillae (n = 8) of the outer circle; the presence of a small, anterior bulb on the very long esophagus; and 2 large caudal projections in the gravid female (parasitic in the host's body cavity). This is the first-known species of Philometra whose gravid females are present in the body cavity of tuna fishes. Heptochona maldivensis resembles H. stromatei but differs mainly in the position of deirids, shape of the muscular esophagus, character of postanal papillae, length of the left spicule (648 microm), much larger body measurements, location in the host (stomach), and the host type. Rhabdochona parastromatei Bilqees, 1971, is synonymized with H. stromatei, whereas Heptochona sindica Akram and Pie de Imprenta, 1988, and H. rivdica Akram, 1988, are invalid names. Heptochona varmai is transferred to another genus as Rhabdochona varmai (Gupta and Masoodi, 1990) n. comb. Rhabdochona varmai, Heptochona schmidtii Arya, 1991, and Rhabdochona marina Lakshmi and Sudha, 1999, are considered species inquirendae.     

Male mating success and female mate choice in the river sculpin,Cottus nozawae (Cottidae)

Synopsis Mating success of males and its correlates were investigated in a natural population of the polygynous fluvial sculpinCottus nozawae. Furthermore, the female mate preference of this species was examined experimentally under alternative conditions for mating in a stream. The mating success of individual males (the number of females with which a male mated) ranged between 0 and 8 with a mean of 2.41 in 1983 and 2.52 in 1989, in a population of which the sex ratio was about 1 : 2 in both years, skewed toward females. Mainly due to the excess of nests without egg masses and the few nests with one egg mass, the distribution of male mating success did not fit a Poisson distribution, indicating its non-randomness. Male mating success was not correlated either with the size of the nest rocks or with the male size, suggesting that these two variables are not determinants of mating success. The mate choice experiments demonstrated that females of this species more frequently chose smaller males as mates whose nests already contained eggs than large males without eggs. Additionally, an analysis of stomach contents of guarding males suggested that the parental males ate their own eggs during egg guarding (filial-cannibalism). Based on these results and on a comparison of reproductive characteristics with congeneric species, it is suggested that one of the most important determinants for female mate choice inCottus species may be whether or not parental males are filial egg cannibals.     

Two new kathlaniid species (Nematoda: Cosmocercoidea) parasitic in salamanders of the genus Andrias (Amphibia: Caudata: Cryptobranchidae)

The new nematode species, Falcaustra hanzaki n. sp. and Urodelnema takanoensis n. sp. (Cosmocercoidea: Kathlaniidae), were found from the intestine of giant salamanders in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The first species is featured by the number and arrangement of caudal papillae (3 pairs of precloacal papillae, 8 pairs of postcloacal papillae and a single ventral precloacal papilla), the presence of a single pseudosucker, spicules equal in size (520–638 μm long), and V-shaped gubernaculum in males; vulva situated about 3/5 of a body in females. The second species is characterized by the number and arrangement of caudal papillae (5 pairs of precloacal papillae, 6 pairs of postcloacal papillae and a single ventral precloacal papilla), spicules equal in size (403–593 μm long), V-shaped gubernaculum in males; vulva situated about 3/5 of a body in females. The molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using the partial 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA and the internal transcribed spacers 1 region in the nuclear DNA. This phylogenetic study raised a question about the validity of Family Kathlaniidae and related families of Cosmocercoidea.     

Three species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Skrjabinelazia</Emphasis> Sypliaxov, 1930 (Nematoda: Seuratidae) parasitic in Gekkonidae and Lacertidae from South Africa,Europe and Australia

Skrjabinelazia Sypliaxov, 1930 comprises 10 species distinguished by several characters typical of the genus including, among the most important, the presence/absence of spicules, cuticle ornamentation and vesicles, head-shape, the presence/absence of a leaflet crown in the buccal cavity, female tail-shape and male cone-shape. The three samples studied are new species: S. boomkeri n. sp., a parasite of Pachydactylus turneri, Gekkonidae, from South Africa (Klaserie Reserve); S. vozae n. sp., a parasite of Lacerta vivipara, Lacertidae, from France (Cévennes), which is close to two lacertid parasites, S. taurica Sypliaxov, 1930 and L. hoffmanni Li, 1934, respectively from the Crimea and North China (Peking); and S. mawsangelae n. sp. (male unknown), a parasite of Christinus marmoratus, Gekkonidae, from Australia (Pearson Island), which is, surprisingly, distinct from Skrjabinelazia sp. of Angel & Mawson (1968) from the same host in another region (North of Adelaide) of South Australia. Two main groups are distinguished in Skrjabinelazia: the species with spicules which are parasitic in the Lacertidae, and the species with a gubernaculum only which are parasitic in the Gekkonidae. The unique species described from the Iguanidae, S. intermedia (Freitas, 1940) from Brazil (Para), also without spicules, seems to be derived from gekkonid parasites, as it also has an evolved oesophagus with a glandular region, unlike the simple oesophagus seen in the larval stages of Skrjabinelazia.     

Acuariid, capillariid and hymenolepidid parasites of the dasyurid marsupial Antechinus stuartii Macleay, 1841, from southeastern Australia.

Stammerinema suffodiax sp. n. is described from the dasyurid marsupial Antechinus stuartii. It differs from S. soricis, the only other member of the genus, in lacking lateral body spines, as well as in the spicules and characters of the anterior extremity. As well as redescribing Synhimantus australiensis (Johnston and Mawson, 1952) now collected from the stomach of A. stuartii, a new capillariid, Capillaria rickardi from the stomach and two cestodes Hymenolepis aklei sp. n. and H. bradleyi sp. n. are described from the same host.