A new species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the sand perch Diplectrum formosum (Serranidae) off Florida, northern Gulf of Mexico

A new nematode species, Philometra diplectri n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from male and female specimens found in unidentified tissues of head and anterior trunk (males) and subcutaneously in the mouth and under the operculum (females) of sand perch, Diplectrum formosum (Linnaeus) (Serranidae, Perciformes), from the northern Gulf of Mexico off Florida (Florida Middle Grounds). Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examination, the new species differs from other congeners parasitizing the subcutaneous tissues, fins, tissues of the buccal cavity, and gill covers or gill arches of marine and brackish-water fishes, mainly in having 8 conspicuously large cephalic papillae of the external circle, the absence of caudal projections, and the shape and small size of the anterior inflation of the esophagus in gravid females, and in possessing 5 pairs of caudal papillae and spicules 66-78 μm long in males. Philometra diplectri is the first known species of this genus whose gravid females are parasitic in the head tissues of serranid fishes.     

A new species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the freshwater fish (red piranha) Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characidae) in Amazonia, Brazil

A new nematode species, Philometra nattereri n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from female specimens found in the oculo-orbits and nasal cavity of the red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characiformes: Characidae) from five lakes in Central Amazonia, Brazil, collected in 2008 and 2009 (overall prevalence 12%, intensity 1?C3 nematodes per fish). Based on light and scanning electron microscopical examination, the new species differs from most other congeners parasitising freshwater fishes in that its oesophageal gland extends anteriorly far anterior to the level of the nerve-ring, in the presence of 14 small cephalic papillae arranged in two circles and in having two minute caudal projections. This is the first species of Philometra Costa, 1845 reported from fishes of the family Characidae and the second valid species of this genus parasitic in freshwater fishes of Brazil and South America.     

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.     

New observations on philometrid nematodes (Philometridae) in marine fishes from the Northern Gulf of Mexico and the Indian River Lagoon of Florida (Usa), with first description of the male of Caranginema americanum

The following 3 species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) were recorded from marine fishes off Florida: Caranginema americanum Moravec, Montoya-Mendoza and Salgado-Maldonado, 2008 from the subcutaneous tissue of the crevalle jack Caranx hippos (Linnaeus) (Carangidae); Philometra charlestonensis Moravec, de Buron, Baker and González-Solís, 2008 from the gonads (ovaries) of the scamp Mycteroperca phenax Jordan and Swain (Serranidae); and Philometra sp. (only subgravid females) from the gonads (ovaries) of the Atlantic needlefish Strongylura marina (Walbaum) (Belonidae). The male of C. americanum , the type species of Caranginema Moravec, Montoya-Mendoza, and Salgado-Maldonado, 2008 , is described for the first time. Its general morphology is similar to that of males of Philometra and Philometroides species. The males of C. americanum are mainly characterized by an elongate body, 3.13-3.28 mm long, a markedly elongate esophagus, and spicules and a gubernaculum 69-75 μm and 48-51 μm long, respectively. The present findings of C. americanum and P. charlestonensis represent new geographical records. The gonad-infecting Philometra sp. from S. marina probably belongs to an undescribed species.     

A new philometrid species (Nematoda) from the freshwater fish Cichlasoma istlanum (Jordan and Snyder, 1899) (Cichlidae) in Mexico

A new nematode species, Philometra poblana n. sp., is described based on specimens recovered from skin at the base of the pectoral fins of the cichlid Cichlasoma istlanum (Jordan and Snyder, 1899) from the water spring El Borbollon, in the State of Puebla, Mexico. The new species most closely resembles Philometra gymnosardae and Philometra ophisterni; however, P. poblana can be easily differentiated from the other species by the length of gravid females (7.10-10.43 vs. 14.8-27.0 and 28.67-39.30 mm, respectively), length of caudal projections (0.015-0.023 vs. 0.047 and 0.006-0.009 mm high, respectively), site of infection (skin at base of pectoral fins vs. abdominal cavity, both species), and the host species (Cichlidae vs. Synbranchidae and Scombridae).     

Monogeneans on native and introduced freshwater fishes from Cuba with the description of a new species of Salsuginus Beverley-Burton, 1984 from Limia vittata (Poeciliidae)

During a parasitological survey carried out between March and September 2003 in Cuba, the following monogeneans were found on the gills of freshwater fishes: Salsuginus cubensis n. sp. on the Cuban molly Limia vittata Guichenot (Poeciliidae); Cichlidogyrus sclerosus Paperna & Thurston, 1969 and C. tilapiae Paperna, 1960 on the African cichlid Tilapia rendalli Boulenger (Cichlidae); Haplocleidus dispar Mueller, 1936 and Pterocleidus acer Mueller, 1936 (all Dactylogyridae) on the sunfish Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque (Centrarchidae) (new geographical records); and Gyrodactylus sp. (Gyrodactylidae) on the biajaca Nandopsis tetracanthus Valenciennes (Cichlidae) (new host and geographical record). Salsuginus cubensis differs from all other species of the genus in the size and morphology of the copulatory complex. The occurrence of C. sclerosus, C. tilapiae, H. dispar and P. acer in their respective hosts is due to the introduction of these hosts to Cuba. A review of the species composition of the Monogenea in native and introduced freshwater fish from Cuba is presented and the zoogeographical distribution of the species found is briefly discussed.     

A new gonad-infecting species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Philometra</Emphasis> Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the marine fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Terapon jarbua</Emphasis> (Forsskål) (Terapontidae) off the eastern coast of India

A new nematode species, Philometra terapontis n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from male and female specimens found in the ovary of the jarbua terapon Terapon jarbua (Forsskål) (Terapontidae, Perciformes) from the Bay of Bengal off the eastern coast of India. Based on light and scanning electron microscopical examination, the new species differs from most other gonad-infecting Philometra spp. in the length of the spicules (105–114 μm), a gubernaculum with dorsal, lamella-like structures and a distinct protuberance on its distal end, and a U-shaped, dorsally uninterrupted caudal mound in the male. From a few congeneric, gonad-infecting species with unknown males, it can be distinguished by morphological and biometrical features found in gravid females (i.e. length of body, length of first-stage larvae or oesophagus, and caudal structure), by the host type (fish family) and by the geographical distribution. Philometra terapontis is the first philometrid species reported from a fish belonging to the family Terapontidae. Philometra sawara Quiazon, Yoshinaga &; Ogawa, 2008 is considered a junior synonym of P. scomberomori (Yamaguti, 1935). A key to gonad-infecting species of Philometra parasitising marine and brackish-water fishes is provided.     

Capillostrongyloides arapaimae sp. n. (Nematoda: Capillariidae), a new intestinal parasite of the arapaima Arapaima gigas from the Brazilian Amazon

A new nematode species, Capillostrongyloides arapaimae sp. n., is described from the intestine and pyloric caeca of the arapaima, Arapaima gigas (Schinz), from the Mexiana Island, Amazon river delta, Brazil. It is characterized mainly by the length of the spicule (779-1,800 microm), the large size of the body (males and gravid females 9.39-21.25 and 13.54-27.70 mm long, respectively) and by the markedly broad caudal lateral lobes in the male. It is the third species of genus Capillostrongyloides reported to parasitize Neotropical freshwater fishes.     

Philometroides buirnurensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Philometridae) from cyprinid fishes in the Buir Nur Lake on the border of China and Mongolia

A new species of philometrid nematode (Nematoda: Philometridae), Philometroides buirnurensis sp. n., is described and illustrated on the basis of female specimens from subcutaneous tissues of the inner surface of the abdominal cavity and the bile duct of cyprinid fishes Leucisuus waleckii (Dybowski), 1869 (type host), Pseudaspius leptocephalus (Pallas), 1776 and Hemiibarbus labeo (Pallas), 1776, from the Buir Nur Lake, a boundary lake between China and Mongolia, on southwest of the Hulun Buir League in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The new species distinctly differs from its congeners mainly in that the posterior half of its body is tapered and conspicuously narrower than the anterior region and that both the head and tail ends are rounded. The cuticular bosses are distributed extensively at both ends but poorly on the middle part of the body. The most peculiar feature of the bosses situated at both ends was their lobe- or rodlike shape and their transverse orientation. Four pairs of submedian outer cephalic papillae and 1 pair of caudal papilla are all relatively large. The new species differs from the most similar congener, Philometroides ganzhouensis Yu, 1998, in having 4 inner cephalic papillae and in the presence of 2 caudal papillae in mature specimens.     

Investigating phylogenetic relationships of sunfishes and black basses (Actinopterygii: Centrarchidae) using DNA sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear genes

The 32 species of the Centrarchidae are ecologically important components of the diverse fish communities that characterize North American freshwater ecosystems. In spite of a rich history of systematic investigations of centrarchid fishes there is extensive conflict among previous hypotheses that may be due to restricted taxon or character sampling. We present the first phylogenetic analysis of the Centrarchidae that combines DNA sequence data from both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes and includes all described species. Gene sequence data were collected from a complete mtDNA protein coding gene (NADH subunit 2), a nuclear DNA intron (S7 ribosomal protein intron 1), and a portion of a nuclear DNA protein-coding region (Tmo-4C4). Phylogenetic trees generated from analysis of the three-gene dataset were used to test alternative hypotheses of centrarchid relationships that were gathered from the literature. Four major centrarchid lineages are present in trees generated in maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian maximum likelihood analyses (BML). These lineages are Acantharchus pomotis, Micropterus, Lepomis, and a clade containing Ambloplites, Archoplites, Centrarchus, Enneacanthus, and Pomoxis. Phylogenetic trees resulting from MP and BML analyses are highly consistent but differ with regard to the placement of A. pomotis. Significant phylogenetic incongruence between mtDNA and nuclear genes appears to result from different placement of Micropterus treculi, and is not characteristic of relationships in all other parts of the centrarchid phylogeny. Slightly more than half of the 27 previously proposed hypotheses of centrarchid relationships were rejected based on the Shomodaira-Hasegawa test.     

Female morphology and systematic status of Philometroides cyprini (Nematoda: Philometridae), a parasite of carp

Gravid females of Philometroides were found under the scales of stock carp Cyprinus carpio L. imported from Lithuania to the Czech Republic in the spring of 1997 and kept in a quarantine pond. These specimens and those obtained from pond-cultured carp in Russia (Moscow district) were used for detailed morphological studies, including scanning electron microscopy. The results confirm that the valid name of this parasite is Philometroides cyprini (Ishii, 1931), whereas Philometra lusii Vismanis, 1962, Philometra schikhobalowae Belous, 1965, Philometra lusiana Vismanis, 1966 and Philometroides lusiana (Vismanis, 1966) Ivashkin et al., 1971 are its junior synonyms. P. cyprini, the agent of a serious disease of carp, seems to have been originally distributed in east Asia, from where it was introduced into Europe in the early 1960s.     

Morphology of Philometroides barbi (Nematoda: Philometridae), a rare tissue parasite of the Mediterranean barbel Barbus meridionalis (Osteichthyes)

A female specimen of the nematode Philometroides barbi Moravec, Simková, Hanzelová, Spakulová et Caki?, 2005, a little-known histozoic parasite of the Mediterranean Barbus meridionalis, was recorded from the fin of its fish host in Bulgaria. Scanning electron microscopical examination, used for the first time in this species, made it possible to determine the character of cephalic papillae (14 papillae arranged in 2 circles) and amphids and confirmed the presence of 4 large caudal lobes. These features distinctly distinguish P. barbi from Philometroides cyprini and other congeners parasitizing European fishes.     

Observations on five species of philometrid nematodes from marine fishes in Japan

Five species of philometrid nematodes (subfamily Philometrinae) are redescribed on the basis of newly collected materials from marine fishes from Japan. The species Philometra sciaenae Yamaguti, 1941, considered by Rasheed (1963) a synonym of P. lateolabracis (Yamaguti, 1935), is re-established as a valid species and the male of this nematode, collected from the ovary of the type-host, Argyrosomus argentatus, is described for the first time; the latter is characterised mainly by the length of equally long spicules (0.108–0.126 mm) and the length ratio of the gubernaculum and spicules (1:2.25). Other species redescribed on females include Philometra inimici Yamaguti, 1941 and P. sebastisci Yamaguti, 1941 from the ovary of their type-hosts, Inimicus japonicus and Sebastiscus marmoratus, respectively, and also Philometroides seriolae (Ishii, 1931) from the musculature of Seriola quinqueradiata (type-host), and Clavinema mariae (Layman, 1930) from the subcutaneous tissue of Pleuronectes schrenki and Acanthogobius flavimanus (a new host record). For the first time, cephalic ends of some of these species were studied under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the character of their cephalic papillae was described. The importance of a knowledge of male morphology for the taxonomy of philometrids is stressed.     

Two new gonad-infecting philometrids (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the yellowedge grouper Hyporthodus flavolimbatus (Serranidae) and the great northern tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps (Malacanthidae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies, two new gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) are described from marine perciform fishes in the northern Gulf of Mexico: P. hyporthodi n. sp. from the ovary of the yellowedge grouper Hyporthodus flavolimbatus (Poey) (Serranidae) and P. lopholatili n. sp. from the ovary of the great northern tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps Goode & Bean (Malacanthidae). Philometra hyporthodi is mainly characterised by the body length of both the males (3.62–4.07 mm) and gravid female (105 mm), the length of the spicules (135–138 μm) and the presence of dorsal transverse lamella-like structures on the distal portion of the gubernaculum. Philometra lopholatili is distinguished by the presence of a distinct dorsal protuberance consisting of two dorsolateral lamellated parts separated from each other by a smooth median field, an uninterrupted mound on the male caudal extremity, the length of the spicules (165–189 μm) and the body length of the males (2.19–2.34 mm) and gravid female (280 mm). Philometra lopholatili is the first representative of the genus and the second philometrid species reported from fishes of the family Malacanthidae.     

Neophilometroides n. gen. (Nematoda: Philometridae) for Philometroides caudatus Moravec,Scholz and Vivas-Rodríguez, 1995, with erection of Neophilometroidinae n. subfam

A detailed examination (including scanning electron microscopy) of newly collected nematode specimens (subgravid females) referable to Philometroides caudatus Moravec, Scholz and Vivas-Rodríguez, 1995, from the swimbladder of the pimelodid catfish, Rhamdia guatemalensis, in the Papaloapan River in Tlacotalpan, State of Veracruz, Mexico, as well as the paratype specimens of this species, revealed the presence of a small buccal capsule armed with peribuccal teeth in the female. Because of this unique morphological feature within the Philometridae, and considering other taxonomically important characters such as the structure of the male tail and the shape of the anterior end of the esophagus in the gravid female, Neophilometroidinae n. subfam, and Neophilometroides n. gen. are proposed to accommodate this species. Philometra paraguayensis Petter, 1995, is transferred to Neophilometroides as N. paraguayensis (Petter, 1995) n. comb. Newly collected specimens are briefly described and illustrated.     

Three new Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) species from freshwater fishes in Mexico

The following 3 new species of Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) are described from the intestines of freshwater fishes in Mexico, all belonging to the morphological group characterized by the presence of wide caudal alae, 3 pairs of subventral preanal papillae, and unequal spicules in the male: Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) jaliscensis n. sp. (type host: Agonostomus monticola) and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) gobiomori n. sp. (hosts: Gobiomorus maculatus [type host], Gobiomorus polylepis and Eleotris picta) from 2 rivers in Jalisco State, western Mexico, and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) mexicanus n. sp. (type host: Cichlasoma geddesi) from Xalapa District, Veracruz State (Gulf of Mexico region), southeastern Mexico. Procamallanus jaliscensis is characterized by the length of the spicules (606-900 microm and 282-354 microm), number (15-16) of spiral ridges in the buccal capsule, and the digit-like protrusion with 1 terminal cuticular spike on the female tail; P. mexicanus by the length of the spicules (456-480 microm and 231-233 microm), number (10-12) of spiral ridges in the capsule, and the shape of the female tail (conical with a suddenly narrowed distal part, without any terminal spikes); and P. gobiomori by the length of spicules (318-348 microm and 156-192 microm), number (8-10) of spiral ridges and by the digit-like protrusion with 2 terminal cuticular spikes on the female tail.     

A new species of Dentiphilometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the musculature of the gray snapper Lutjanus griseus (osteichthyes) off the Caribbean coast of Mexico

A new nematode, Dentiphilometra lutjani n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from gravid females (the male is unknown) collected from the body musculature of the marine perciform fish gray snapper, Lutjanus griseus (Lutjanidae), from the Bay of Chetumal and southern coast of Quintana Roo, off the Caribbean coast of Mexico. The new species differs from the only other congener, Dentiphilometra monopteri, from the swamp eel Monopterus albus in China, mainly in the body length of gravid female (15.40-53.21 mm), the shape of the posterior body end (not markedly narrowed, with low caudal projections), the esophageal gland (maximum width near its posterior end), and the length (344-483 microm) of larvae from the uterus; both species also differ in their host types (marine perciform fish vs. freshwater swamp eel) and geographical distribution (Mexico vs. China).     

Mitochondrial genome sequence of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)

The bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) belongs to Lepomis genera of the family Centrarchidae, which is an economically important freshwater species in China. This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome of L. macrochirus, which is the first complete sequence from sunfish species. L. macrochirus mitochondrial DNA is 16,489 bp long, with the genome organization and gene order being identical to that of the typical vertebrate.     

Acanthocephalus tahlequahensis sp. n. (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from the the stippled darter, Etheostoma punctulatum (Agassiz), in northeastern Oklahoma.

Acanthocephalus tahlequahensis sp. n. was recovered from the intestines of 4 species of freshwater fishes, Etheostoma punctulatum, E. spectabile, Nocomis asper, and Notropis pilsbryi, collected in northeastern Oklahoma. The new species is distinguished from all other species of Acanthocephalus, except A. japonicus (Fukui and Morisita 1936) Petrochenko 1956, and A. fluviatilus Paperna 1964, by having smaller proboscis hooks. The length of the proboscis hooks for males is 27 to 38 (33) mum and for females 35 to 46 (42) mum. A. tahlequahensis is smaller than either A. japonicus or A. fluviatilis, and has about half the number of longitudinal rows of proboscis hooks of A. japonicus and half the number of proboscis hooks in each longitudinal row of A. fluviatilus. In addition to having smaller hooks. A. tahlequahensis differs from other species of Acanthocephalus parasitizing North American fishes by its smaller, spindle-shaped trunk and more hooks in each longitudinal row.