Morphological and molecular characterization of two Trichodina (Ciliophora,Peritrichia) species from freshwater fishes in China

In the present study, we provide morphological and molecular characterization of two Trichodina species, T. acuta Lom, 1970 and T. funduli Wellborn, 1967, isolated from koi (Cyprinus carpio) and loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus), respectively. Morphological characters of the two Trichodina species were mainly investigated on the basis of dry silver nitrate-impregnated specimens. Both species are medium-sized and possess well-developed denticles comprising strongly sickle-shaped blades, well-developed central parts, and straight rays. Trichodina acuta can be easily distinguished from the other Trichodina species that possess a clear central circle by the well-developed sharp blade apophysis, and the gap between ray tip and central circle. Trichodina funduli is a poorly known species that is easily confused with T. heterodentata Duncan, 1977, however the latter species has thinner denticles. The small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences of Trichodina acuta and T. funduli were incorporated into phylogenetic analyses. Our findings suggest that the phylogenetic lineage of trichodinids might not correspond with their living environments, host species or even some morphological characteristics.     

A new species of Trichodina (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) from the intestine of the surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus

A population of a trichodinid (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) was found in the gut of the surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus collected from Hawaii, South Africa and New Guinea and described as a new species. This is only the second record of a trichodinid from the intestine of a marine fish. In all the fish specimens examined, the micro-fauna normally found in other species of the fish family. Acanthuridae was absent and replaced entirely by the trichodinid population.     

Seven new coccidian species from marine fishes in Australia

One hundred and thirty fish of 15 species from the coast of northern New South Wales, Australia, were examined for coccidia. Seven new species, Eimeria cheilodactyli n. sp. and E. dykovae n. sp. from Cheilodactylus fuscus; E. pleurostici n. sp. from Sphaeroides pleurosticus; E. sillaginis n. sp., E. ciliatae n. sp. and Goussia arrawarra n. sp. from Sillago ciliata; G. microcanthi n. sp. from Microcanthus strigatus as parasites of the intestine; and a Goussia sp. from the liver of Rhabdosargus sarba are described.     

A new genus and species of Macroderoididae, and other digeneans from fishes of Lake Malawi, Africa

Malawitrema staufferi n. gen., n. sp., an unusual digenean, is described from Clarias mossambicus (type host) and Bagrus meridionalis from Lake Malawi. It has a small, pyriform body, with a spinous tegument. The ceca are relative short, not reaching to the testes. The 2 testes are symmetrical in the middle hind body. The cirrus sac is long and narrow, reaching into hind body. The genital pore is median, immediately anterior to the ventral sucker. The ovary is pretesticular, and a canalicular seminal vesicle and Laurer's canal are present. The uterus usually reaches distinctly posteriorly to testes. The eggs are small. The follicular vitellarium is in 2 small fields just anterior to testes. The ventrally subterminal excretory pore leads to a claviform vesicle. This species does not fit clearly into any known family of digeneans and is placed in the Macroderoididae as a temporary measure. Other digeneans reported from Lake Malawi include Haplorchoides cahirinus (Looss, 1896) in C. mossambicus and B. meridionalis; Astiotrema turneri Bray, van Oosterhout, Blais & Cable, 2006 in Protomelas annectens, P. cf. taeniolatus, Labeotropheus fuelleborni, Ctenopharynx (Otopharynx) pictus, and Pseudotropheus zebra; Glossidium pedatum Looss, 1899 in C. mossambicus and B. meridionalis; and an unidentifiable sanguinicolid from Bathyclarias nyasensis.     

Some trypanorhynch cestodes from Hawaiian fishes, with descriptions of four new species.

Examination of teleost and elasmobranch fishes for cestodes from the Pacific Ocean off the Hawaiian Islands resulted in the recovery of 7 species of trypanorhynchs, 4 of which are new. The new species are Pseudogrillotia basipunctata, Pterobothrium hawaiiensis, Prochristianella micracantha, and Nybelinia basimegacantha. Tentacularia coryphaena Bosc 1797, Dasyrhynchus giganteus (Diesing 1859), and Parachristianella monomegacantha Kruse 1959 represent new host and distribution records. The family Pseudogrillotidae Dollfus 1969 is emended.     

A new genus and two new species of gobiid fishes (Perciformes) from the Chagos Archipelago,Central Indian Ocean

Synopsis A recent (1979) expedition to the Chagos Archipelago resulted in the collection of about 40 new taxa of fishes. A new genus,Trimmatom, and two new species,T. nanus andT. offucius, are described here. The new genus is characterized by having all pelvic-fin rays simple (unbranched), a scaleless body, no head pores, a wide gill opening extending anteroventrally to below the eye, and hypurals 1 and 2 fused to the complex formed by the fusion of the ural centrum and hypurals 3 and 4.T. nanuss andT. offucius are differentiated on the basis of fin ray counts and colour pattern.T. nanus is the smallest vertebrate yet to be described. Mature females with ovaries full of eggs are 8–10 mm in standard length.     

Two new species of lepocreadiid trematodes of marine fishes from the Taiwan Straits,China

Two new species of lepocreadiid trematodes are reported from marine fishes from the Taiwan Straits, China: Diploproctodaeum spinosus n. sp. from the intestine of Takifugu oblongus (= Fugu oblongus) and Preptetos parapristipomae n. sp. from Parapristipoma trilineatum. Diploproctodaeum spinosus differs from the known species of Diploproctodaeum, with 1 spine at the base of the ejaculatory duct. Preptetos parapristipomae is most similar to Preptetos rotto in having an entire ovary but differs from it in the sucker ratio, distribution of the uterus, position of the cirrus sac, and locality.     

A new hemogregarine from marine fishes.

Haemogregarina uncinata sp. n. is described from the blood of 2 marine eelpouts, Lycodes lavalaei and Lycodes vahlii (Perciformes: Zoarcidae). Erythrocytic schizogony occurred in peripheral and cardiac blood, but mature schizonts were restricted to the latter site. Mature and rupturing schizonts contained 10 to 30 merozoites, which were short and thick in small schizonts while slender and long in larger schizonts. Gametocytes developed in mature erythrocytes and displayed morphologic and morphometric characters that distinguished them from other species described. Syzygy and gamete formation occurred in the gut of a leech, Johanssonia sp. Each microgametocyte produced up to 4 apparently nonflagellated gametes. Oocysts developed intracellularly in the epithelial wall of the intestine and at maturity produced under 100 sporozoites from (apparently) several germinal centers. Sporozoites subsequently migrated to the probosces of the leeches. The failure to transmit the parasite to a sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) and 3 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) via regurgitation by the leeches might be indicative of host specificity.     

Monogenea of Chinese marine fishes. X. A new species and two new records of the Axinidae from fishes of the South China Sea

This paper reports a new species and two new records of the Axinidae collected from fishes of the South China Sea. Loxuroides fungilliformis n. sp. was obtained from the gills of Hemirhamphus guoyi collected at Zhapo (21°34N, 111°49E). The new species is similar to L. sasikala (Unnithan,1957) Price, 1962 in the structure of the cirrus and genital atrium, but differs from the latter in the shape and number of the spines of its genital atrium and cirrus. Both L. sasikala and Axine tripathii Price, 1962 are recorded for the first time off China.     

A new species of monorchiid digenean from marine fishes in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean off Patagonia

Proctotrema bartolii n. sp. (Digenea: Monorchiidae) is described based on naturally and experimental obtained adults from the marine fishes Odontesthes smitti (Lahille), O. nigricans (Richardson) (Atherinopsidae) and Eleginops maclovinus (Cuvier) (Eleginopidae) off Patagonia, Argentina, in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Its generic identification is based on the presence of a unipartite terminal organ with the metraterm uniting with its distal region, an unarmed genital atrium, a single testis, a vitellarium follicular lateral to the ovary and ventral sucker, and uterine coils occupying most of hindbody. The new species differs from P. bacilliovatum Odhner, 1911, P. amphitruncatum Fischthal & Thomas, 1969 and P. guptai Ahmad & Dhar, 1987 in having a smaller body (305–650 vs 1,600–3,080, 1,500–1,800 and 2,150–2,670 μm, respectively), a round vs funnel-shaped oral sucker, a smooth vs lobed ovary, a saccular rather than tubular excretory vesicle, the number of vitelline follicles (12–16 vs 8–9, 9 and 6–8, respectively), and wider eggs (25–31 × 15–20 vs 28–37 × 9–12, 24–28 × 7–10, and 24–30 × 8–10 μm, respectively). Moreover, the new species differs from P. bacilliovatum and P. amphitruncatum in having a saccular rather than a coiled seminal vesicle, and from P. bacilliovatum and P. guptai in having its tegument completely vs partly spined. Proctotrema Odhner, 1911 is considered to be restricted to these four species. This is the first report of a species of this genus from South American waters.     

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.