Bathycestus brayi n. gen. and n. sp. (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from the deep-sea fish Notacanthus bonaparte in the northeastern Atlantic

Bathycestus brayi n. gen., n. sp. (Pseudophyllidea: Triaenophoridae) is proposed to accommodate a new cestode from a deep-sea fish, the shortfin spine eel Notacanthus bonaparte (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae), from the northeastern Atlantic. The new genus is placed in the Triaenophoridae because it possesses a uterine pore on the ventral surface, a marginal genital pore, and a follicular vitellaria. Bathycestus most closely resembles Eubothrioides, Fistulicola, Probothriocephalus, and Pseudeubothrioides, which have also an unarmed scolex, a single set of genital organs per proglottid, an unarmed cirrus, cortical vitellaria, and a compact rather dendritic ovary. It differs from these genera by combination of the following features: a sagittate scolex with a weakly developed apical disc and free posterior margins of bothria, no neck, a long cirrus sac, reaching to the median third of proglottids and angled anteromedially in its proximal part, the posterior position of the vagina in relation to the cirrus sac, the testes in 2 lateral fields confluent postovarially, circumcortical vitellaria continuous longitudinally, and unoperculate eggs. Bathycestus brayi n. sp. is the first cestode to be described from a deep-sea fish of the genus Notacanthus.     

Australicola pectinatus n. gen. and n. sp. (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from the deep-sea fish Beryx splendens from Tasmania

Australicola pectinatus n. gen., n. sp. (Pseudophyllidea: Triaenophoridae) is proposed to accommodate a new cestode from a deep-sea fish, the splendid alfonsino, Beryx splendens Lowe, 1834 (Beryciformes: Berycidae), from the Pacific coast of Tasmania. The new genus is placed in the Triaenophoridae, because it possesses a ventral uterine pore, marginal genital pore, and follicular vitellarium. Australicola is characterized by possessing a massive strobila with very short and wide, markedly craspedote proglottids; vitelline follicles forming a transverse equatorial band; a very deep and narrow genital atrium; a wide, convoluted vaginal canal; and unoperculate eggs. Australicola most closely resembles Eubothrium Nybelin, 1922 and Probothriocephalus Campbell, 1979 in having an unarmed scolex, an unarmed cirrus, the vagina anterior to the cirrus-sac, and cortical vitellaria. It differs from these 2 genera, in addition to the characteristics listed above, in possessing a dendritic rather than an entire ovary. Australicola pectinatus n. sp. is the third cestode described from B. splendens.     

Neosychnocotyle maggiae, n. gen., n. sp. (Platyhelminthes: Aspidogastrea) from freshwater turtles in northern Australia

Neosychnocotyle maggiae, n. gen., n. sp., (Aspidogastrea) is described from the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, and reported from the Victoria River red-faced turtle, Emydura victoriae, all from the Daly River, Northern Territory, Australia. Neosychnocotyle n. gen. is differentiated from all aspidogastrean genera but one by the absence of a cirrus sac. The similar Sychnocotyle also lacks a cirrus sac, but Neosychnocotyle n. gen. differs from the former genus by possessing a narrow, tapered anterior end, a ventral disk that covers the posterior end of the body, a genital pore that is displaced anteriorly, and a vas deferens that is less convoluted and less robust. Analysis of ribosomal DNA sequences demonstrates substantial sequence variability between representatives of Sychnocotyle and Neosychnocotyle maggiae, n. gen., n. sp. It is possible that this new parasite may reach sexual maturity only in C. insculpta. This is only the second aspidogastrean species reported from Australian freshwater turtles.     

A new genus and species of proteocephalidean tapeworm (Cestoda) from Pangasius larnaudii (Siluriformes: Pangasiidae) in Southeast Asia

A new proteocephalidean cestode is described from spot pangasius, Pangasius larnaudii (Siluriformes: Pangasiidae), from Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia and a new genus, Pangasiocestus , is proposed to accommodate it. The genus is placed in the Gangesiinae because its scolex possesses a large rostellum-like apical organ and its genital organs (testes, ovary, vitellarium, and uterus) are situated in the medulla, with some vitelline follicles paramuscular. Pangasiocestus romani n. gen. and n. sp., the type and only species of the new genus, is characterized mainly by its rosette-like scolex composed of 4 lobes bearing a small sucker in their center, and the apical part with a large, discoidal, rostellum-like apical organ devoid of hooks, by weakly developed inner longitudinal musculature formed by very few isolated muscle fibers, uneven size of testes in immature and mature proglottids, with lateral testes smaller and more dense than median ones, by very narrow lateral bands of vitelline follicles, formed usually by single follicles, and by the vagina anterior to the cirrus sac. This is the first proteocephalidean cestode from a pangasiid catfish identified to the species level (proteocephalidean cestodes from 3 Pangasius spp. reported in an unpublished account from Vietnam, misidentified as Proteocephalus osculatus (Goeze, 1782) [?= Glanitaenia osculata ], are not considered).     

Description of Auriculotrema lechneri n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Choanocotylidae), a parasite of freshwater turtles (Testudines: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from Queensland,Australia

Auriculotrema lechneri n. gen., n. sp. is described from the small intestine of Emydura krefftii and Elseya latisternum from northern Queensland, Australia. The new species strongly resembles species of Choanocotyle in body shape, ventral incision of the oral sucker, structure of the cirrus sac, and location of the genital pore. The distinctive taxonomic feature is the presence of 2 winglike projections extending beyond the lateral margins of the oral sucker, in contrast to the extremely large, expanded oral sucker diagnostic of Choanocotyle spp. Auriculotrema n. gen. is the second genus included in the formerly monotypic Choanocotylidae Jue Sue and Platt, 1998.     

Steganoderma szidati n. sp. (Trematoda: Zoogonidae) from Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns) and G. platei Steindachner in Patagonia,Argentina

Steganoderma szidati n. sp. is described from the intestine of two freshwater fishes, Galaxias maculatus and G. platei (Galaxiidae), from Andean lakes in Patagonia, Argentina. This freshwater zoogonid species fits in the genus Steganoderma (sensu Bray, 1987) because of the length of the caeca and the position of the vitelline follicles. The new species is characterised by possesing 6-13 vitelline follicles situated between the anterior margin of the ventral sucker and the poterior margin of the testis. The gonads are in the anterior hindbody and the ovary is anterior to the right testis. The cirrus has two conspicuous spines at its distal end, and the seminal vesicle always exhibits a constriction. The excretory vesicle never reaches the level of the posterior margin of the testes.     

Two new species of Nomimoscolex (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea,Monticelliidae) from Gymnotus carapo (Pisces: Gymnotiformes) in Argentina

Nomimoscolex guillermoi n. sp. and N. dechambrieri n. sp. are described from the gymnotiform fish Gymnotus carapo from Argentina. The new species are placed into Nomimoscolex based on the cortical position of the vitelline follicles, and medullary position of the testes, ovary, and uterus. Both species were compared to the 13 species considered valid in the genus. The combination of features distinguishing N. guillermoi from N. dechambrieri is (1) the position of the vagina to cirrus pouch (anterior or posterior vs always anterior respectively), (2) the total number of testes (41-85 vs 108-130 respectively), (3) the distribution of the vitelline follicles (arranged in dorso-lateral and ventro-lateral bands vs lateral bands respectively), (4) the length of the uteroduct (ending 58% vs 35% from posterior margin of mature proglottis respectively), and (5) the presence of gland cells in the scolex (unicellular glands in the apical region and the external margin of suckers vs the presence of unicellular glands in the apex and other grouped in a cluster medially to the suckers respectively).     

A new triaenophorid tapeworm from blackfish Centrolophus niger

Milanella familiaris n. gen. and n. sp. (Bothriocephalidea: Triaenophoridae) is proposed to accommodate a new cestode from blackfish Centrolophus niger (Gmelin) (Perciformes: Centrolophidae). Milanella is characterized as follows: trapeziform, i.e., markedly craspedote proglottids with a velum-like posterior margin and horn like lateral projections; pyriform uterine sac in the first gravid proglottids; arrow-shaped scolex with well-developed apical disc and prominent posterior margins; strobila with intensively stained corpuscles, most numerous in the anterior part; deeply lobated ovary; absence of a neck; a large, pyriform, thin-walled cirrus-sac with the proximal part bent anteromedially; vagina posterior to the cirrus-sac; and cortical vitelline follicles. Milanella most closely resembles Bathycestus Kuchta and Scholz, 2004, Pistana Campbell and Gartner, 1982, and Probothriocephalus Campbell, 1979, differing mainly in the shape of proglottids and uterine sac.     

A new monozoic tapeworm, Lobulovarium longiovatum n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), from barbs Puntius spp. (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Indomalayan region

A new caryophyllidean cestode is described from barbs Puntius spp. (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), with P. sophore (Hamilton) as its type-host, in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins in India and Bangladesh, and a new genus, Lobulovarium n. g., is proposed to accommodate it. The genus belongs to the Lytocestidae because its vitelline follicles are situated in the cortex. It is typified by: (i) a peculiar ovary, which is roughly H-shaped, but with asymmetrical, irregular lobes on its ventral and dorsal sides; (ii) an extensive vitellarium formed by numerous vitelline follicles scattered throughout the cortex; (iii) a long, conical postovarian part of the body with numerous vitelline follicles; (iv) a broadly digitate scolex with a slightly protrusible central cone; (v) a single gonopore (male and female genital ducts open via a single pore and a common genital atrium is absent); and (vi) a small number of testes (< 60). Molecular data (partial sequences of the lsrDNA) indicate that Lobulovarium longiovatum n. sp. belongs among the most basal caryophyllidean cestodes, being unrelated to species from siluriform catfishes in the Indomalayan region. Paracaryophyllaeus osteobramensis (Gupta & Sinha, 1984) Hafeezullah, 1993 (syn. Pliovitellaria osteobramensis Gupta & Sinha, 1984) from another cyprinid fish, Osteobrama cotio (Hamilton), in Uttar Pradesh, India, is tentatively transferred to Lobulovarium as L. osteobramense (Gupta & Sinha, 1984) n. comb. It differs from L. longiovatum by having much smaller eggs (length <50 μm versus >90 μm in L. longiovatum), which are spherical (length/width ratio 1:1 versus 2.5-3:1 in the new species), and the presence of vitelline follicles alongside the ovarian lobes (almost completely absent in L. longiovatum).     

Nomimoscolex semenasae n sp (proteocephalidea: Monticelliidae), a cestode parasite of Diplomystes viedmensis (Pisces: Siluriformes) from the Patagonian region of Argentina

Nomimoscolex semenasae n. sp. is described from the primitive fish Diplomystes viedmensis (Siluriformes) from the Patagonian region of Argentina. The new species is placed in Nomimoscolex because of the cortical position of the vitelline follicles, medullary position of the testes, ovary and uterus, and having a scolex with four uniloculate suckers. N. semenasae differs from all other species in the genus by the following combination of characters: (1) apical organ absent; (2) strobila acraspedote; (3) vagina anterior or posterior to cirrus-sac and lacking a sphincter; (4) testes in one irregular layer and in two fields connected anteriorly; (5) uterine stem cortical in immature proglottides, growing from cortical stem into medullary region in mature proglottides; (6) long uteroduct; and (7) presence of spiniform microtriches on all regions of the scolex, proliferation zone and immature proglottis. This is the first record of a proteocephalidean tapeworm in D. viedmensis and in the family Diplomystidae.     

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.     

Auriculostoma astyanace n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Allocreadiidae), from the banded astyanax, Astyanax fasciatus (Characiformes: Characidae), from Nicaragua, with a reevaluation of neotropical Crepidostomum spp

Auriculostoma n. gen. (Trematoda: Allocreadiidae) is proposed for Auriculostoma astyanace n. sp. from the intestine of the characid fish Astyanax fasciatus in the Atlantic coastal drainages of Nicaragua. The new genus differs from all papillose allocreadiid genera, except Bunoderella, in possessing 2 pairs of muscular oral papillae (instead of 1 or 3), of which the ventrolateral pair is moderately developed and the dorsolateral papillae are long and auricular. Auriculostoma differs from Bunoderella Schell, 1964, in having lateral vitelline follicles, completely separated or confluent only in the posttesticular region, a uterus limited to the pretesticular region or with a few eggs at the level of the testes, and a long cirrus sac that overlaps the acetabulum or usually reaches posteriorly to the ovarian level. Three other allocreadiid species, all from South American freshwater fishes and each of which had previously been placed in Crepidostomum, are transferred to Auriculostoma based on the presence of the diagnostic muscular oral papillae. These include Crepidostomum platense Szidat, 1954, C. macrorchis Szidat, 1954, and C. stenopteri Ma?é-Garzón and Gascón, 1973. Diagnostic features for Auriculostoma also include mainly pretesticular uterus, lateral vitellaria with variation in posttesticular confluence, and tandem testes. The genus appears to be typically associated with neotropical siluriforms (catfishes) and characiforms (tetras).     

Description of Bucephalus anguillae n. sp. (Trematoda: Bucephalidae), a parasite of the eel Anguilla anguilla (Anguillidae) from a brackish water lagoon of the Adriatic Sea

The digenetic trematode Bucephalus anguillae n. sp. is described from the intestine of eel, Anguilla anguilla L., originating from a brackish water fish farm on the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. The new taxon is 1 of 12 Bucephalus species characterized by an anterior rhynchus surrounded by 7 tentacular appendages, each when fully protruded with 2 prongs. Scanning electron microscopy reveals, for the first time in a Bucephalus species, the crescent-shaped, unspined field located between the rhynchus and the dorsal tentacles. A comparison of B. anguillae n. sp. with 11 congeneric species revealed its remarkable similarity with B. polymorphus Baer, 1827; however, the new species has a larger cirrus sac, larger pharynx, vitelline gland fields not extending the level of pharynx, ovary located in the pharyngeal area rather than fairly posterior to pharynx, smaller testes, relatively wider rhynchus, and tegumental armature comprising slightly larger spines. Multivariate discriminant analyses confirmed a differentiation of B. anguillae from populations of B. polymorphus; the combination of 4 variables, namely cirrus sac length, pharynx width, cirrus sac width, and rhynchus width yielded a total separation of compared species.     

Monticellia ophisterni n. sp. (Cestoda: Monticelliidae) from the swamp-eel Ophisternon aenigmaticum (Synbranchiformes) from Mexico.

Monticellia ophisterni n. sp. is described from the swamp-eel Ophisternon aenigmaticum Rosen and Greenwood (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from Lake Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico. The new species is placed into Monticellia because of the cortical position of the testes, ovary, and uterus. It differs from other Monticellia species (with the exception of Monticellia magna (Rego, Santos and Silva, 1974)) in the position of longitudinal musculature that crosses the vitelline follicles, making them paramuscular. The new species can be distinguished from M. magna--which possesses a similar number of testes (107-139), paramuscular vitelline follicles, and numerous gland cells distributed between the apex of the scolex and suckers--in the position of the genital pore (8-21% vs. 19-27%), in the presence of a weak internal longitudinal musculature, in the arrangement of the testes in the median field, and in the absence of a vaginal sphincter. This is the first proteocephalidean tapeworm reported from a synbranchid fish and the first species of Monticellia found in North America.     

Exuviotrophic apostome ciliates from freshwater decapods in southern Alabama (USA) and a description of Hyalophysa clampi n. sp. (Ciliophora, Apostomatida)

Apostome ciliates from crayfish and freshwater shrimp in southern and central Alabama were surveyed in this study. Hyalophysa bradburyae was found on both crayfish and shrimp from 16 sites in eight drainages. A new species, Hyalophysa clampi n. sp., was found infesting crayfish at one site and simultaneously infesting crayfish with H. bradburyae at two sites. Characteristics of the trophont ciliature of H. clampi n. sp. separate it from other species in the genus. Particularly, the contractile vacuole pore is oriented posterior to the ventral kineties xyz, kineties 1 and 2 are undivided, an apparent second contractile vacuole pore is present between the ventral portions of kineties 1 and 2, the anterior ventral field is tightly arranged, and there is an apical field of kineties between kineties 4 through 6. This report expands the known range and diversity of the genus Hyalophysa in the state of Alabama.     

Paraoistosomum novaeguineae n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea) from a New Guinea crocodile: a surprising relative of the enigmatic Oistosomum caduceus Odhner, 1902

Paraoistosomum novaeguineae n. gen., n. sp. is described based on specimens from the kidneys of a New Guinea crocodile Crocodylus novaeguineae collected in Papua New Guinea. The body shape and the topology of most internal organs of the new species are strongly reminiscent of Oistosomum caduceus Odhner 1902, the sole member of Oistosomum, a genus of unclear phylogenetic relationships and systematic position described from the Nile crocodile in Sudan in 1902 and never reported since then. At the same time, the new species has a number of significant differences from Oistosomum caduceus. Among them are much shorter intestinal ceca, a relatively larger ventral sucker, ovary anterolateral to ventral sucker (posterolateral in O. caduceus ), vitellaria arranged in 2 clusters of loosely organized follicles at the level of ventral sucker (2 narrow long lateral fields in O. caduceus ), much longer esophagus, and other characters. Most importantly, the new species has the genital pore situated at the anterior body end adjacent to the oral sucker, whereas O. caduceus has the genital pore in front of the ventral sucker. These dramatic differences suggest establishment of a new genus for the species from Papua New Guinea. The anatomy of P. novaeguineae n. gen., n. sp. suggests that these genera may not belong to the Plagiorchiidae, the current familial allocation of Oistosomum. Scarcity of material and lack of molecular data do not permit clarification of this problem at the present time.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Petasiger islandicus</Emphasis> n. sp. (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) in the horned grebe <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podiceps auritus</Emphasis> (L.) (Aves: Podicipedidae) from Iceland

Petasiger islandicus n. sp. is described and figured from a demographically isolated population of the horned grebe Podiceps auritus auritus (L.) in Lake Myvatn (Iceland). This new species belongs to the group of species with 19 collar spines which possess a large elongate-oval cirrus-sac, well-developed pars prostatica and massive bulb-like cirrus. Within this group, P. islandicus appears most similar to P. oschmarini Kostadinova & Gibson, 1998, a form with similar body dimensions described from the same host, but differs in having a larger head collar, collar spines, oral sucker, pharynx, testes and sucker-width ratio, and a smaller cirrus-sac, cirrus and eggs. Two Nearctic species resemble P. islandicus in general morphology but differ as follows: P. pseudoneocomense Bravo-Hollis, 1969 has a larger body and collar width, notably shorter collar spines, smaller testes and sucker-width ratio, and a shorter but much wider cirrus-sac which is also smaller relative to the ventral sucker and almost entirely anterior to it; and P. caribbensis Nassi, 1980 has a smaller body, shorter collar spines and a seminal vesicle which is small in relation to the cirrus-sac, vitelline fields reaching anteriorly to the level of the genital pore and the intestinal bifurcation is located more anteriorly.     

The helminth parasites of the lesser flamingo,Phoeniconaias minor (Geoffroy), from Lake Nakuru,Kenya, including a new cestode,Phoenicolepis nakurensis n.g., n.sp.

Summary Seven species of cestodes and two of nematodes are reported from Phoeniconaias minor from Lake Nakuru, Kenya. Phoenicolepis nakurensis n.g., n.sp. (Hymenolepididae) is characterized by the size and shape of the hooks, scolex and strobila, structure of the terminal genital ducts, presence of an accessory sac, external seminal vesicle and stylet, and absence of an internal seminal vesicle. Gynandrotaenia stammeri. Cladogynia phoeniconaiadis, Flamingolepis tengizi, F. dolguschini and Striatofilaria phoenicopteri are redescribed; all except C. phoeniconaiadis are new for this host and for Kenya. ac]19800210Abbreviations as accessory sac - c cirrus - cs cirrus sac - esv external seminal vesicle - g gland cells - gs glandular sheath - isv internal seminal vesicle - md muscular duct - Mg Mehlis' gland - o ovary - pg prostate gland cells - s stylet - sr seminal receptacle - u uterus - v vagina - vd vas deferens - vg vitelline gland