Two new species of Haliotrema (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from Cirrhitus rivulatus (Perciformes: Cirrhitidae) from the Pacific coast of Mexico

During surveys of helminth parasites of marine fishes from the Pacific coast of the Guerrero State in Mexico, 2 undescribed species of Haliotrema Johnston and Tiegs, 1922 (sensu Young, 1968) (Dactylogyridae) were found infecting the gills of the giant hawkfish Cirrhitus rivulatus Valenciennes, 1846 (Perciformes, Cirrhitidae), i.e., Haliotrema cirrhitusi n. sp. and Haliotrema pollexinus n. sp. The new species are similar with respect to the morphology of the anchors with base-shaft junction crazed, hinged, or both; dorsal anchors with an elongate superficial root; a tubular male copulatory organ (MCO) with a cylinder-shaped base diagonally opening; and a membranous accessory piece, shaped like a vane, encircling MCO to form 2 complete spirals from the anterior margin of base to the terminal portion of the MCO. While H. cirrhitusi and H. pollexinus differ from all other species of the genus in the general morphology of the copulatory complex, only H. pollexinus notably differs from all these species in having a superficial, blade-like projection from the inner surface on the distal shaft of anchors. Haliotrema cirrhitusi and H. pollexinus are the only members of the genus recorded in the Mexican Pacific and from a cirrhitid host.     

Two new species of Cryptocephalum n. gen. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from the cephalic lateral line of Percichthys trucha (Perciformes: Percichthyidae) in Patagonia, Argentina

Two new species of Monogenoidea were found parasitizing the cephalic lateral line canals of Percichthys trucha (Valenciennes) (Perciformes: Percichthyidae). These species are described as members of a newly proposed genus of Dactylogyridae. Cryptocephalum n. gen. is characterized by the site of infection and the combination of the several features: ventral and dorsal anchor/bar complexes, anchors with strongly elongated shaft and recurved point, shaft and point of dorsal anchors protruding laterally from haptor, hooks with 2 subunits and with pair 5 smaller than the others; gonads overlapping; coiled male copulatory organ with counterclockwise rings, accessory piece formed by 2 distinct parts, and a tubular, sclerotized ventral vagina. C ryptocephalum petreum n. sp. is characterized by having both anchor pairs protruding laterally from haptor, male copulatory organ with a coil of 2-1/2 rings, accessory piece tweezers-shaped, and sclerotized vaginal vestibule. Cryptocephalum spiralis n. sp. has ventral anchors protruding ventrally and dorsal ones protruding laterally, male copulatory organ with a coil of 1-1/2 rings, the antero-dorsal part of the accessory piece saddle-shaped, vaginal vestibule not present, and coiled vagina. This is the first record of Dactylogyridae species parasitizing the cephalic lateral line of fishes.     

Lamellodiscus euzeti n. sp. (Monogenea:Diplectanidae), a parasite from Dentex canariensis and D. gibbosus (Teleostei:Sparidae) in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Lamellodiscus euzeti n. sp. (Monogenea:Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of two sparid fishes, Dentex canariensis (Steindachner) off Senegal and Ivory Coast and D. gibbosus (Rafinesque) off Senegal and Tunisia. The new species belongs to the "ignoratus" group, characterized by a lamellodisc with complete lamellae, a "lyre" shaped male copulatory organ type, and the "ignoratus" sensu stricto subgroup, characterized by a haptor with simple lateral dorsal bars. Lamellodiscus euzeti n. sp can be distinguished from all the congeneric species of the "ignoratus" subgroup by the presence of a prominent protuberance at the base of the curved part of the simple piece of the male copulatory organ (MCO), a large bulb at the base of the bifurcated piece of the MCO and the presence of 5-6 spines in the distal portion of the axial branch of the bifurcated piece of the MCO. Specificity and biogeography of Lamellodiscus species from sparid fishes are discussed.     

Neotropical Monogenoidea. 46. Three new species from the gills of introduced aquarium fishes in India,the proposal of Heterotylus n. g. and Diaphorocleidus n. g., and the reassignment of some previously described species of Urocleidoides Mizelle & Price, 1964 (Polyonchoinea: Dactylogyridae)

Three new species of the Dactylogyridae are described from aquarium fishes collected in India and two new genera are proposed: Heterotylus heterotylus n. g., n. sp. from Hypostomus sp. (Loricariidae), Diaphorocleidus armillatus n. g., n. sp. from Gymnocorymbus ternetzi (Characidae) and Urocleidoides vaginoclaustrum n. sp. from Xiphophorus helleri (Poeciliidae). Heterotylus n. g. is characterised by species having overlapping gonads (testis posterodorsal to the ovary), a mid-ventral vaginal aperture, a copulatory complex consisting of a relatively straight copulatory organ unarticulated to a complex accessory piece, erect acute hook thumbs, unexpanded hook shanks, dorsal and ventral anchor/bar complexes and absence of well-defined basal roots of the ventral anchors. Diaphorocleidus n. g. includes species with overlapping gonads (testis posterodorsal to the ovary), submarginal sinistral vaginal pore, a copulatory complex comprising a coiled (counterclockwise) copulatory organ unarticulated to an accessory piece, protruding depressed hook thumb, hook shank with two subunits (proximal subunit expanded), dorsal and ventral anchor/bar complexes and V-shaped bars. The following new combinations are proposed: D. affinis (Mizelle, Kritsky & Crane, 1968) n. comb. (syn. U. affinis Mizelle, Kritsky & Crane, 1968), D. kabatai (Molnar, Hanek & Fernando, 1974) n. comb. (syn. U. kabatai Molnar, Hanek & Fernando, 1974) and D. microstomus (Mizelle, Kritsky & Crane, 1968) n. comb. (syn. U. microstomus Mizelle, Kritsky & Crane, 1968).     

Morphological and molecular data of new species of Characithecium and Diaphorocleidus (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) from Neotropical characid fishes

The present study describes three new species of monogenean parasites of characid fishes from the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil: Characithecium paranapanemense n. sp. on Psalidodon paranae and Psalidodon bockmanni, Diaphorocleidus magnus n. sp. on Astyanax lacustris and Psalidodon fasciatus, and Diaphorocleidus neotropicalis n. sp. on Astyanax lacustris and P. bockmanni. An amendment for Diaphorocleidus is proposed, since additional characters observed in the new species required to extend the generic diagnostic features mainly to include: articulation process connecting the base of the MCO with accessory piece present or absent, and accessory piece with variable shapes (plate-like, pincer-shaped, wrench-shaped, sheath-shaped), divided or not into subunits. Characithecium paranapanemense n. sp. can be distinguished from other congeners by the morphology of its MCO and accessory piece. Diaphorocleidus magnus n. sp. differs from most of its congeners by the morphology of its accessory piece, the presence of articulation process connecting the base of the MCO with accessory piece, and the morphology of the sclerotized structures of the haptor. Diaphorocleidus neotropicalis n. sp. can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the morphology of the accessory piece, the sclerotized structures of the haptor and the morphology of the vagina. Molecular data of the new species (partial 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I) were obtained and the first phylogenetic analysis based on 28S rDNA gene sequences for species of Characithecium and Diaphorocleidus are provided. Although Diaphorocleidus and Characithecium share some morphological similarities, phylogenetic analysis indicates that species of these two genera are not closely related.     

Neotropical Monogenoidea. 33. Three new species of Ancistrohaptor n. g. (Dactylogyridae,Ancyrocephalinae) on Triportheus spp. (Teleostei,Characidae) from Brazil,with checklists of ancyrocephalines recorded from neotropical characiform fishes

Three new species of Ancistrohaptor n. g. are described from the gills of three species of Triportheus (Characidae) collected from the environs of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil: A. falcatum n. sp. from T. elongatus; and A. falciferum n. sp. and A. falcunculum n. sp. from T. angulatus, T. albus and T. elongatus. Ancistrohaptor n. g. is proposed for species possessing overlapping gonads, a dextral or dextroventral vaginal aperture, a coiled (counter-clockwise) male copulatory organ, two accessory pieces in the copulatory complex, and a haptor armed with two pairs of anchors (ventral anchor with elongate shaft), dorsal and ventral bars and 14 hooks; hook pair 1 (ventral) anterior to ventral bar, pairs 2–4 (ventral) lying bilaterally anterior to ventral anchor bases, pair 5 (ventral) associated with distal end of ventral anchor shafts, and pairs 6 and 7 (dorsal) bilateral about midway along haptoral length. Parasite-host and host-parasite lists of the Ancyrocephalinae from neotropical Characiformes are provided.     

Two new species of Haliotrema (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from Acanthurus nigrofuscus and Acanthurus olivaceus (Teleostei: Acanthuridae) in the South China Sea

Haliotrema leporinus n. sp. and Haliotrema pratasensis n. sp. are described from the gills of surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) off the Pratas Islands in the South China Sea. Haliotrema leporinus n. sp. differs from all other members of the genus by possessing a rabbit-head-shaped sclerotized piece in the haptor. Haliotrema pratasensis n. sp. differs from its congeners by having a copulatory organ with a clockwise coil and a funnel-shaped base and by lacking an accessory piece.     

A new species of Empruthotrema (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Pteromylaeus bovinus (Myliobatidae) from the Western Mediterranean

Empruthotrema chisholmae n. sp. is described from specimens recovered from a bull ray Pteromylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) at the Oceanogràfic Aquarium in Valencia, Spain. The bull ray was caught in the Spanish Mediterranean (Puerto de Mazarrón, Murcia). The new species resembles 4 others of the same genus ( Empruthotrema dasyatidis Whittington and Kearn, 1992, Empruthotrema kearni Whittington, 1990, Empruthotrema stenophallus Chisholm and Whittington, 2005, and Empruthotrema tasmaniensis Chisholm and Whittington, 1999) in having a haptor with 13 marginal loculi, the posteriormost loculus single and medial. The new species can be distinguished from these other species of the genus by the morphology of the sclerotized male copulatory organ, which is the shortest described. The new species also differs from the other species by the following combination of features: haptor with 13 marginal loculi, the presence of eyespots, the absence of an accessory piece associated with the male copulatory organ, and a long egg appendage (more than 150 μm). Empruthotrema chisholmae is the first species of the genus reported from the Mediterranean.     

A new species of Kritskyia (Dactylogyridae,Ancyrocephalinae) parasite of urinary bladder of Prochilodus lineatus (Prochilodontidae,Characiformes) from the Floodplain of the High Paraná river,Brazil

A new species of Kritskyia inhabits the urinary bladder of the "curimba", Prochilodus lineatus in the floodplain of the high Paraná river. The new species resembles others members of Kritskyia in the following features: haptor lacking anchors and with 14 hooks marginal, posterior male copulatory organ non articulated with the accessory piece and vagina a sclerotized tube. However, it differs from the known species mainly by the shape of the copulatory complex. This is the third endoparasitic monogenean species reported from freshwater Neotropical fish.     

A new species of Euryhaliotrematoides Plaisance & Kritsky, 2004 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) from the gills of the spotted rose snapper Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner) (Perciformes: Lutjanidae)

Euryhaliotrematoides mehen n. sp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) is described based on specimens collected from the gills of the spotted rose snapper Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner) off Mazatlan, Sinaloa, on the northwestern coast of Mexico. The synapomorphy of this genus is the presence of a funnel-shaped base of the male copulatory organ. This new species differs from all other species of the genus by possessing a male copulatory organ with a base with a thickened margin and a membranous accessory piece resembling a scarf and covering about 60% of its distal region. PCR products of the 28S rRNA (831 bp) and 18S rRNA (662 bp) genes were sequenced and submitted to GenBank (accession numbers HQ615997 and JF938069, respectively). BLASTn searches revealed no 100% identical hits with the previously registered monogenean sequences.     

A new species of Heterocotyle Scott, 1904 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the gills of Dasyatis guttata (Dasyatidae) in southwestern Atlantic waters off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Heterocotyle sulamericana n. sp. is described from the gills of Dasyatis guttata (Bloch & Schneider) caught off the coast of Brazil near Rio de Janeiro. This species can be distinguished from all other members of Heterocotyle Scott, 1904 by a combination of the morphology of the male copulatory organ, which is a short, slightly curved, sclerotised tube with no accessory piece, and the haptor, which has a single ridge surmounting all septa. This is the first Heterocotyle species to be described from the southwestern Atlantic.     

New species of Rhabdosynochus Mizelle and Blatz 1941 (Monogenoidea: Diplectanidae) from the gills of centropomid fishes (Teleostei) off the Pacific Coast of Mexico

In the course of the investigations into the fish parasites in the Tres Palos Lagoon in the State of Guerrero off the Pacific coast of Mexico, the following diplectanid species (Monogenoidea) from the gills of centropomids were found: Rhabdosynochus alterinstitus n. sp. from Centropomus nigrescens; Rhabdosynochus lituparvus n. sp., Rhabdosynochus volucris n. sp., and Rhabdosynochus siliquaus n. sp. from Centropomus robalito (Centropomidae). The apparent synapomorphic character supporting a sister relationship of these diplectanids is a single, sheathlike accessory piece comprising 3 distal branches of the male copulatory organ. The origin of the present diplectanid on centropomids is discussed, and it is suggested that this may be the result of allopatric speciation as a result of the uplift of the Panamanian Isthmus, thereby separating the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans during Pleistocene (3-5 million yr ago).     

The family Tetraonchidae (Monogenea): its structure and position among the monogeneans

The muscle fascicles of the haptor in Tetraonchus monenteron have been described. The muscle connection of the fan-shaped dorsal bars with dorsal anchors is shown. When these muscle fascicles are contracted the dorsal anchors works as pincers. The division of tetraonchids into two genera based on types of copulatory organs, morphology of bars and haptor ans associations with different groups of fishes is restored. Different authors based on ciliated cells and chaetotaxy of the oncomiracidium and comparative spermiogenetic of T. monenteron include the tetraonchids with 16 marginal hooks into the order Dactylogyroidea. In the same time, based on the analysis of the onthogenesis of the dactylogyrid's haptor they postulate, that the haptor of these worms originally had 2 pairs of anchors and only 14 marginal hooks. The present paper contains data indicating that different representatives of the Dactylogyridea have 14-18 marginal hooks. Author put forward a suggestion, that some group of dactylogyrids originally did not have the anchors.     

Studies on Lethrinitrema Lim & Justine, 2011 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae), with the description of two new species,a key to the genus and a phylogenetic analysis based on rDNA sequences

Six species of Lethrinitrema Lim & Justine, 2011, including two new taxa, are described from the gills of Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål) from the South China Sea. Lethrinitrema nebulosum n. sp. differs from all other members of the genus in possessing a copulatory organ with a short, distally recurved tube, a cup-shaped base and a thin accessory piece, arising from distal end of tube, junction inconspicuous. Lethrinitrema zhanjiangense n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing a copulatory organ with a C-shaped tube, a cup-shaped base and without accessory piece. Lethrinitrema grossecurvitubum (Li & Chen, 2005) n. comb. and Lethrinitrema austrosinense (Li & Chen, 2005) n. comb., previously included in Haliotrema Johnston & Tiegs, 1922, are transferred to Lethrinitrema and redescribed with additional details, including the intestinal caeca that unite posterior to gonads and continue posteriorly as two diverticula, and the elongate tubular distal end of each haptoral reservoir bifurcating prior to entering a superficial lateral groove on each side of the ventral anchor. The sclerotised parts of two unidentified species of Lethrinitrema are also described. Lethrinitrema sp. 1 differs from the other Lethrinitrema spp. in possessing a male copulatory organ consisting of a short tapered tube with a robust cup-shaped base and in lacking accessory piece. Lethrinitrema sp. 2 differs from its congeners in possessing a copulatory organ comprised of a short slender tube and without accessory piece, delicate ventral and dorsal bars, and poorly developed outer roots of the anchors. Sequences of partial 28S rDNA (domains D1–D2) and complete 18S rDNA for 27 dactylogyrids including five species of Lethrinitrema, i.e. Lethrinitrema fleti (Young, 1968) Lim & Justine, 2011, L. nebulosum, L. zhanjiangense, L. grossecurvitubum and Lethrinitrema sp. 1 were used to assess the monophyly of Lethrinitrema which was supported by high bootstrap values.     

Revision of Parancylodiscoides Caballero y C. & Bravo-Hollis, 1961 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae), with a redescription of P. longiphallus (MacCallum, 1915) from the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet) (Acanthuroidei: Ephippidae) in the Gulf of Mexico

The generic diagnosis of Parancylodiscoides Caballero y C. & Bravo-Hollis, 1961 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae), with three valid species, was amended to include dactylogyrids having: a haptor with dorsal and ventral anchor/bar complexes, 14 hooks (seven pairs) and four reservoirs (two pairs); a dorsal bar with bifurcate ends; hooks with protruding, blunt and slightly depressed thumbs and undilated shanks; a dextroventral vaginal aperture leading to an elongate and oblique vaginal vestibule; a germarium dextral to the testis; a vas deferens looping the left intestinal caecum; a copulatory complex lacking an accessory piece; and two intestinal caeca lacking diverticula and united posterior to the gonads. Parancylodiscoides is most similar to Sundatrema Lim & Gibson, 2009, from which it differs only by the position of the vaginal aperture (sinistroventral in Sundatrema spp.) and by lacking a sucker-like genital pore. New information concerning the number and distribution of haptoral hooks, the relative positions of the gonads and the course of the vas deferens was provided for the type-species, P. chaetodipteri Caballero y C. & Bravo-Hollis, 1961. Parancylodiscoides longiphallus (MacCallum, 1915) Lim & Gibson, 2009 was redescribed based on specimens collected from the Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber from the Gulf of Mexico off Mississippi and Guaratuba Bay, Paraná, Brazil; its occurrence on the Atlantic spadefish from the Gulf of Mexico, Guaratuba Bay and off Puerto Rico represented new geographical records for this helminth. Parancylodiscoides caballerobravorum Cezar, Luque & Amato, 1999 was considered a junior subjective synonym of P. longiphallus. The monotypic Isohaliotrema Young, 1968 was placed in synonymy with Parancylodiscoides and its type-species, I. platacis Young, 1968, transferred to Parancylodiscoides as Parancylodiscoides platacis (Young, 1968) n. comb.     

Descriptions of eight new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ligophorus</Emphasis> Euzet &; Suriano, 1977 (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) from Red Sea mullets

Eight new species of Ligophorus Euzet &; Suriano, 1977 (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) are described from two species of mullets from the Red Sea. Ligophorus bykhowskyi n. sp. and L. zhangi n. sp. from Crenimugil crenilabris (Forsskål) differ from other species of the genus in the structure of the male copulatory organ, which has a simple accessory piece and a wide copulatory tube that arises from a large, single-chambered, expanded base. Ligophorus simpliciformis n. sp., L. bipartitus n. sp., L. campanulatus n. sp., L. mamaevi n. sp., L. lebedevi n. sp. and L. surianoae n. sp. from Liza carinata (Valenciennes) are differentiated on the basis of the morphometrics of the hard parts of the haptor and male copulatory organ. The eight species represent the first records of species directly attributed to Ligophorus from the Red Sea. Measurements of the haptoral hard-parts and the male copulatory organ of the new species are analysed with the aid of Principal Component Analysis. Three morphological types of male copulatory organ, five types of anchor, and two types of ventral and three types of dorsal bars were distinguished among these species. L. bykhowskyi and L. zhangi from C. crenilabris have the same type of male copulatory organ and anchors. Those species from Liza carinata have only one common morphological character, a thick copulatory tube, but have two types of accessory piece, four types of anchors and three types of bars. All species of Ligophorus found on mullets in the Red Sea have an accessory piece without a distal bifurcation and thus differ from most species of this genus from other regions of the world’s oceans.     

A new species of Monocotyle taschenberg, 1878 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Dasyatis guttata (Dasyatidae)

Monocotyle guttatae n. sp. is described from the gills of the ray Dasyatis guttata (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (Dasyatidae) off the coast of Brazil The new species can be readily differentiated from the other species of the genus in having a male copulatory organ with 2 loops and an accessory piece, 5-7 sclerites on the marginal haptoral papillae, and the absence of accessory sclerites on the dorsal surface of the posterior body. The present record confirms the presence of the genus in the subtropical waters of South America.     

Lamellodiscus sanfilippoi n. sp. (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) parasite from the gills of Diplodus sargus (Teleostei, Sparidae) in Mediterranean Sea

Lamellodiscus sanfilippoi n. sp. takes place, among the other species of Lamellodiscus, in the "ergensi" sub-group (Amine et Euzet, 2005) characterized by the morphology of the dorsal lateral bars of the haptor. This sub-group comprises, in the Mediterranean, L. ergensi Euzet and Oliver, 1966, L. kechemirae Amine and Euzet, 2005, L. tomentosus Amine and Euzet, 2005, all parasite of Diplodus sargus, and L. baeri Oliver, 1974 parasite of Pagrus pagrus. L. sanfilippoi can be distinguished from the previous species by the morphology and size of the dorsal lateral bars. The new species is close to Lamellodiscus furcillatus Kritsky, Jiménez-Ruiz and Sey, 2000, a parasite of Diplodus noct in the Persian Gulf, but differs by the size of the haptoral sclerotised pieces and the morphology of the male copulatory apparatus. Lamellodiscus gussevi Sanfilippo (1978) et Lamellodiscus abbreviatus Sanfilippo (1978) are considered as nomina nuda.     

Policlithrum ponticum sp. n. (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae: Polyclithrinae) from Mugil cephalus from the Black Sea and problems of suprageneric systematics of the gydrodactylids

Polyclithrum ponticum sp. n. is described and P. mugilini Rogers, 1967 is redescribed. Both monogenean species are parasites of Mugil cephalus in the Black Sea. The new species differs from P. mugilini, P. alberti and P. boegeri by the lesser size of anchors, while it is distinguished from P. corallense by the larger size of these structures. P. ponticum sp. n. differs from all formerly described species by the greater length of dorsal connective bar. In both species from the Black Sea, "ear-like" structures situated near the external roots of anchors are described for the first time. It is suggested, that these structures take part in longitudinal, two-lobe folding of the haptor. The process of opening the haptor is probably performed by the additional bars of the haptor (bars 2 and 3 after: Rogers, 1967), joined to each other and with the anchors. The fifth pair of additional bars (Ernst e. a., 2000) derives from the "beard" of ventral connective bar and is united with its basal part. The sixth pair of additional bars (Ernst e. a., 2000) is considered as a typical "ribs" of the haptor, and therefore the "ribs" are represented by three pairs. Differences between marginal hooks of P. ponticum sp. n. and P. mugilini are insignificant, that probably depends on the presence of "ribs" of the haptor. Based on the subdivision of marginal hooks into two groups, the presence of additional supporting structure in the haptor, and the presence of the seminal receptacle, it is suggested that the subfamily Polyclithrinae Rogers, 1967 should include the genera Polyclithrum Rogers, 1967, Swingleus Rogers, 1969, Macrogyrodactylus Mamlberg, 1959, and probably Fundulotrema Hargis, 1955. Based on such characters as the lack of the anchors, the presence of suckers in the haptor, and ovipositing of eggs, it seems to be expedient to use the following taxa in systematics of gyrodactylids: Isancistrinae Fuhrmann, 1928 (genera Isancistrum, Anacanthocotyle); Gyrdicotylinae Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 (Gyrdicotyle) and Ooegyrodactylinae Harris, 1983 (genera Phanerothecium, Ooegyrodactylus, Nothogyrodactylus, Hyperopletes).     

Species of Haliotrema Johnston & Tiegs, 1922 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) from Zanclus cornutus (L.) (Teleostei: Zanclidae) and Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forssk?l) (Teleostei: Acanthuridae) in the South China Sea

Four species of Haliotrema Johnston & Tiegs, 1922, including three new taxa, are described from the gills of two species of coral reef fishes, Zanclus cornutus (Linnaeus) and Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forssk?l), off the Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea. Haliotrema dongshaense n. sp., from Z. cornutus, is differentiated from other existing congeneric species by its peculiar male copulatory organ, comprising a harp-shaped copulatory tube and a cup-shaped base, and two groups of short longitudinal muscles lying on either side of the vaginal vestibule. Haliotrema zigmoidocirrus n. sp. from Z. cornutus and H. nigrofusci n. sp. from A. nigrofuscus are differentiated from other congeneric species by their male copulatory organ, which has a cup-shaped base, bell-shaped middle and Z-shaped distal part, and the latter can be readily differentiated from the former by its distinctively wider haptor and longer connecting bars. Haliotrema sicklocirrus Wang, 2007, from Z. cornutus, is redescribed with additional details, including the sinistral position of the accessory piece of the male copulatory organ, the absence of eyespots and the morphology of the connecting bars.