Three new species of Monocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from the Great Barrier Reef: phylogenetic reconstruction, systematics and emended diagnoses

Three new species of Monocotyle were found on the gills of the coachwhip stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) collected at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (23 degrees 27' S, 151 degrees 55 'E). Monocotyle helicophallus new species, Monocotyle multiparous new species and Monocotyle spiremae new species all have a single testis and are distinguished from other described Monocotyle species by size of body and hamulus and number of coils of the sclerotized male copulatory organ (21-22, three to four and 29-42, respectively). Monocotyle helicophallus new species is characterized by several muscular genital papillae, one of which is traversed by the ejaculatory duct; M. spiremae new species is distinguished by a sclerotized accessory structure associated with the distal end of the male copulatory organ, a vaginal sclerite and a conspicuous spherical, ejaculatory bulb; M. multiparous new species is distinguished by a large number of retained, thin-shelled eggs, many of which contain a fully developed oncomiracidium. A phylogenetic analysis of the 14 described species of Monocotyle utilizing 13 characters (11 binary and two multistate) produced the most parsimonious cladogram involving 18 steps with a consistency index of 0.78, two homoplasies and four unresolved polychotomies. Emended diagnoses of the Monocotylinae and Monocotyle are provided.     

Calicotyle californiensis n. sp. and Calicotyle urobati n. sp. (Monogenea: Calicotylinae) from elasmobranchs in the Gulf of California

Two new species of Calicotyle (Monocotylidae: Calicotylinae) are described from elasmobranchs in the western Gulf of California. Calicotyle californiensis n. sp. is described from a single specimen collected from a gray smoothhound shark (Mustelus californicus, Carcharhiniformes: Triakidae). It is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of having vaginal pores opening within the intercecal space, distal regions of the vaginae twisting, proximal regions of the vaginae fusing medially to form a kidney bean-shaped structure, and a relatively long male copulatory organ recurving 3 times and passing between the distal penis bulb and the seminal vesicle. Calicotyle urobati n. sp. is described from 16 specimens collected from at least the cloaca and rectum of the round rays Urobatis halleri and Urobatis maculatus (Rajiformes: Urolophidae). It is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of having vaginal pores opening outside the intercecal space and proximal regions of the vaginae terminating at the level of the ceca. Members of Calicotyle have not been reported previously from the eastern Pacific Ocean or from these hosts. In the past, species of Calicotyle have been distinguished based primarily on the shape and length of the male copulatory organ and hamuli. Divisions of the vaginae and the positions of the vaginal pores are also useful in distinguishing members of the genus.     

A redescription of Heterocotyle pastinacae Scott, 1904 (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Dasyatis pastinaca (Dasyatididae), with a neotype designation

Heterocotyle pastinacae Scott, 1904 is redescribed and a neotype is designated. H. pastinacae is most easily distinguished from other members of the genus by the elaborate arrangement of sclerotised spines in the vagina. The male copulatory organ also serves to differentiate it from other species in the genus. A possible function for the vaginal spines and unique form of the male copulatory organ is discussed. The use of head organ number as a generic character is considered questionable.     

长足大竹象生殖系统的形态解剖研究

解剖研究了长足大竹象雌雄虫牛殖系统的构造.该虫的雌性生殖系统包括一对卵巢、一对侧输卵管、中输卵管、交配囊、受精囊、生殖腔、产卵器;雄性生殖系统由一对睾九、一对输精管、一对附腺、射精管和交配器组成.     

Two New Kalyptorhynchia (Turbellaria) from the Coast of Northern New England,USA1

Cystiplana rubra sp.n. and Crassicollum musculare gen. et sp.n. are described and their taxonomy discussed. C. rubra (family Cystiplanidae Karling, 1964) is distinguished by red pigmented stripes, two pairs of cuticular pieces within the copulatory bulb, a small male atrium posterior to the copulatory bulb, and a two part atrial bulb. C. musculare is characterized by a large, unpaired prostatic vesicle with two distinct regions of secretory products, a muscular penis papilla with a small apical stylet, large muscle bolsters bracketing a glandular evagination of the genital atrium, and a large sphincter encircling the genital canal. A new family of Eukalyptorhynchia, Crassicollidae, is erected. Notes on some biological aspects of these species are included.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tinrovia</Emphasis> Mamaev, 1987 (Monogenea: Microcotylidae) from the deep-sea fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Notacanthus bonaparte</Emphasis> Risso (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae) in the Western Mediterranean and the North East Atlantic

A new microcotylid, Tinrovia mamaevi n. sp. (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea), is described from the gills of Notacanthus bonaparte Risso (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae), sampled in the Western Mediterranean and North East Atlantic. This species is allocated to the subfamily Syncoelicotylinae Mamaev & Zubchenko, 1978 due to the possession of a symmetrical haptor with two separate frills. The clamps in T. mamaevi n. sp. are of the “microcotylid” type, arranged in two distinct lateral haptoral frills; the genital atrium and the copulatory organ are armed and the vaginal pore is unarmed. The new species differs from the type- and only species of the genus, T. papiliocauda Mamaev, 1987, in having a shorter and narrower haptor with a smaller number of clamps. Clamps are also smaller in the new species, testes are more numerous, the genital atrium is smaller, divided into two lateral lobes (instead of five) with a smaller number of spines and the eggs have a short and a long filament (instead of two short filaments). The host species and locality of T. mamaevi n. sp. also differ as T. papiliocauda which was recorded in Notacanthus sexspinis Richardson from the South Pacific.     

Five new monogenean species from the gills of Mulloidichthys vanicolensis (Perciformes: Mullidae) off New Caledonia, with the proposal of Volsellituba n. g. and Pennulituba n. g. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae)

Three species of Volsellituba n. g. and two species of Pennulituba n. g. are described from the gills of the yellowfin goatfish Mulloidichthys vanicolensis (Valenciennes) off New Caledonia (South Pacific). Volsellituba and Pennulituba resemble dactylogyrid genera whose species lack eye-spots and possess tandem or slightly overlapping gonads, a single prostatic reservoir, a male copulatory organ without an accessory piece, a dextroventral non-sclerotised vagina, ventral and dorsal anchor/bar complexes, and hooks with shanks comprising a single slender unit. Volsellituba n. g. is characterised by its species having ventral tegumental folds at the level of the vaginal duct, a male copulatory organ with a subterminal basal opening and a two-piece dorsal bar. The following new species of Volsellituba are described: V. orchidea n. sp. (type-species), V. nabla n. sp. and V. elephantina n. sp. Pennulituba n. g. is distinguished by its species possessing a male copulatory organ with a wing-shaped membrane and a dorsal bar with a poorly to non-sclerotised medial part. This genus includes P. piratifalx n. sp. (type-species) and P. cymansis n. sp. A tabular summary of the species of Haliotrema Johnston & Tiegs, 1922 reported from mullids is provided.     

Parathylacorhynchus reidi gen. et sp.n., a Schizorhynchid (Turbellaria, Kalyptorhynchia) from the Coast of Maine, USA1

The new genus, Parathylacorhynchus (family Schizorhynchidae), is characterized by broad, thin, strongly folded proboscis halves and by paired testes posterior to the pharynx. The interstitial P. reidi sp.n. is distinguished by three bands of holdfasts, a single genital opening, a dorsally muscularized and ventrally unmuscularized posterior region of the prostatic bulb, a sharp curved stylet, and paired spermatic ducts.     

Entomophilic juveniles of the nematode <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bursaphelenchus mucronatus</Emphasis> (Nematoda,Aphelenchida, Parasitaphelenchidae) obtained from the cerambycid vector <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monochamus urussovi</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Cerambycidae) under experimental conditions

Specialized dispersive juveniles of the nematode Bursaphelenchus mucronatus (J4d) were obtained from adults of the black fir sawyer Monochamus urussovi. Judging by the structure of their genital primordium and the primordia of copulatory organs, they correspond to the 4th stage juveniles of the propagation generation (J4), which feed as mycophages and parasites in the conifer wood tissues. The dispersive juveniles differ from those of the propagation generation in such characters as reduction of the stylet, inner cephalic framework, and parts of the pharynx (the median bulb and the pharyngeal gland lobe), a sharply conical tail, and the presence of unicellular glands at the anterior body end. Among entomophilic juveniles, the prospective males and females can be distinguished by the structure of their genital primordium and the primordia of copulatory organs.     

Two new species of mazocraeid monogeneans from Clupanodon punctatus (Temminck & Schlegel) (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) found in Daya Bay, South China Sea, with the proposal of Chelimazocraes n. g.

Chelimazocraes liaoi n. g., n. sp. and Chelimazocraes ascidiformis n. sp. (Monogenea: Mazocraeidae) are described from the gills of Clupanodon punctatus (Temminck & Schlegel) in Daya Bay (South China Sea). The new genus is characterised by the following features: (i) the haptor is distinctly separated from the body proper, and the arrangement of the clamps is bilaterally symmetrical but longitudinally heteromorphic; (ii) the anterior three pairs of clamps are of the mazocraeid-type, whereas the fourth pair is of a non-mazocraeid type with three sclerites; (iii) all three pairs of clamps are similar in shape but their size gradually becomes smaller from the anterior to the posterior; (iv) the inner spines of the copulatory organ have a similar shape; and (v) the testes are numerous and arranged longitudinally posterior to the ovary. The two new species are easily distinguished from other members of the Mazocraeidae by the unique structure of the fourth pair of clamps; however, there are some noticeable differences between the two species. The major differences are as follows: (i) the body of C. liaoi n. sp. is significantly larger than that of C. ascidiformis n. sp.; (ii) the anterior three pairs of clamps consist of different sclerites in the two species; and (iii) the copulatory organ has one pair of outer spines and 15–16 pieces of inner spines in C. liaoi n. sp. (vs two pairs of outer spines and 22–26 pieces of inner spines in C. ascidiformis n. sp.).     

Genetic control and expression of the major ejaculatory bulb protein (PEB-me) inDrosophila melanogaster

PEB-me is a predominant protein of matureDrosophila melanogaster ejaculatory bulbs. It is resolved into four or five closely spaced subfractions (apparent molecular weight 35–39 kD) by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Four electrophoretic variants of PEB-me differing in apparent molecular weight by 200–800 daltons were found. These appear to be controlled by four alleles of a gene (peb) located by recombination and deletion mapping to the 60F1-2 region of chromosome 2. A minor ejaculatory bulb protein of ca. 80 kD (hPEB) was found to be immunochemically related to PEB and possibly encoded bypeb. PEB is not detected by immunoblotting techniques in virgin females, in male tissues other than the ejaculatory bulb, or during developmental stages preceding the formation of this organ. The results of transplantations of genital imaginal discs and of immature ejaculatory bulbs between two strains having different PEB alleles suggest that the ejaculatory bulb is the site of PEB synthesis. In flies mutant fortra, tra-2, dsx, orix, tissue specificity of PEB localization is retained and the protein is found whenever the ejaculatory bulb is formed, regardless of the chromosomal sex of the fly. The protein is transferred into the female genital duct during mating, where it can be detected for up to 12 hr. Possible functions of PEB inDrosophila reproduction are discussed.     

Calixolepis thuli n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) from the wood duck Aix sponsa (Anatidae) in America

Calixolepis thuli n. g., n. sp. is described and figured on the basis of the specimens from the wood duck Aix sponsa (L.) (Anseriformes: Anatidae) from Cuba and the USA. The tapeworm is characterised by: (1) strobila of medium size; (2) deep genital atrium; (3) external accessory sac; (4) unilateral genital pores, with female genital ducts situated anterior to male ducts; and (5) the following characteristic structure of the male and female terminal genitalia: the genital pouch has a stylet and a goblet-like structure, the calix; a cirrus is absent; and the thick-walled copulatory part of the vagina forms vaginal vestibule distally which may open through a vaginal papilla into the genital atrium. Other morphological structures indicate a relationship with species of the genus Sobolevicanthus Spasskii & Spasskaya, 1954 or with Cladogynia Baer, 1938 (Hymenolepididae). The differences between the tapeworms from Cuba and the USA suggest the possible occurrence of various morphological forms of Calixolepis.     

Revision of Bursacetabulus (Diplostomidae: Diplostominae) with the proposal of Bursatintinnabulus n. gen., and description of Bursatintinnabus bassanus n. sp. and Bursacetabulus morus n. sp. from northern gannet, Morus bassanus (Aves), from the Texas gulf coast.

During a study of digeneans of shorebirds from the Texas gulf coast, 2 undescribed species of diplostomes were found in northern gannet, Morus bassanus. Bursatintinnabulus n. gen. (Diplostomidae) is established with reassignment of Bursacetabulus macrobursus Dronen et al., 1999, as type species, and the second species in the proposed genus is described, Bursatintinnabulus bassanus n. sp. Generic diagnosis of Bursacetabulus Dronen et al., 1999, is emended to include a conical hindbody, an inconspicuous pouchlike or conspicuous well-developed tribocytic organ, and digitiform vitellaria distributed mainly in the hindbody with processes extending into the tribocytic organ and ventrolaterally in the hindbody to the level of the testes. Bursacetabulus morus n. sp. is described as the second species in that genus. In Diplostominae, Bursacetabulus and Bursatintinnabulus n. gen. are most similar to Tylodelphys Diesing 1850, but can be distinguished by having smooth testes and vitellaria that extend ventrolaterally into the hindbody to the level of the posterior testis; and the absence of a genital cone, an acetabulum, and a prepharynx. Bursatintinnabulus n. gen. is different from Bursacetabulus and all other genera of Diplostominae by a well-developed, bell-like skirt surrounding the bursa.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Empruthotrema longipenis</Emphasis> n. sp. (Monogenoidea: Monocotylidae: Merizocotylinae) from the olfactory sacs of the smooth butterfly ray <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnura micrura</Emphasis> (Bloch &amp; Schneider) (Myliobatiformes: Gymnuridae) in the Gulf of Mexico

A new species of Empruthotrema Johnston & Tiegs, 1922 is described based on specimens collected from the olfactory sacs of smooth butterfly rays Gymnura micrura (Bloch & Schneider) captured in Mobile Bay (northcentral Gulf of Mexico), Alabama, USA. Empruthotrema longipenis n. sp. is most similar to the type-species Empruthotrema raiae (MacCallum, 1916) Johnston & Tiegs, 1922 by having 12 marginal and two interhamular loculi with members of haptoral hook pair 1 located midway along the periphery of each interhamular loculus and those of hook pair 2 located at the marginal termini of the bilateral septa flanking the interhamular loculi. Empruthotrema longipenis n. sp. differs from E. raiae by having a much longer male copulatory organ and from its remaining congeners by the sinistral and extracecal ejaculatory bulb flanking the pharynx, the number of interhamular and marginal septa, and the distribution of hook pairs 1 and 2 along the haptoral margin. This is the first report of a monocotylid from the smooth butterfly ray and from Mobile Bay. The diversity of haptoral morphotypes among the currently accepted species of Empruthotrema is detailed and discussed in the context of monophyly of the genus.     

Deurithitrema gingae n.g., n.sp. (Digenea: Plagiorchioidea) from the kidneys of a salt-water crocodile (Crocodylus porosus Schneider) from Australia

Summary The name Deurithitrema gingae n. g., n. sp. is proposed for worms from the kidneys of one Crocodylus porosus from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The following combination of characters distinguishes the new genus from all others: prepharynx very short; oesophagus absent; caeca reaching to posterior end of body; testes tandem in middle third of body, contiguous or amost so; cirrus-sac large, over-reaches ventral sucker, contains bipartite seminal vesicle, prostatic regions and ejaculatory duct with spines around its opening into genital atrium; genital pore immediately in front of ventral sucker; uterus coiled to posterior end of body; vitellaria lateral from ventral sucker to slightly behind testes; excretory vesicle small, receiving a single ventro-lateral duct from each side behind end of uterine loops. Deurithitrema belongs to the superfamily Plagiorchioidea Dollfus, 1930. It superficially resembles a number of genera, but its relationships within the superfamily are obscure.     

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.     

Morphology and molecular characterization of Polystoma goeldii n. sp. (Monogenea,Polystomatidae) parasite from the urinary bladder of Physalaemus ephippifer (Steindachner) (Anura,Leptodactylidae)

Polystomatid flatworms of amphibians are represented in the Neotropical realm by species of Mesopolystoma, Nanopolystoma, Parapseudopolystoma, Polystoma, Riojatrema and Wetapolystoma but only species of Polystoma are known from Brazil, namely Polystoma cuvieri, P. knoffi, P. lopezromani and P. travassosi. During a survey of monogeneans infecting amphibians in the north-eastern region of Pará State, the Cayenne Caecilian Typhlonectes compressicauda was found to be infected with Nanopolystoma tinsleyi and the Veined Tree Frog Trachycephalus typhonius was found to harbor Polystoma lopezromani. A yet unknown species of Polystoma was also encountered in the urinary bladder of the Steindachner's Dwarf Frog, Physalaemus ephippifer. This new species, which is the second species reported from Physalaemus spp., is described herein as Polystoma goeldii n. sp. and its life cycle is also illustrated. The new species can be distinguished from Polystoma spp. from other neotropical realm by a combination of characteristics, including hamuli morphology, outer/inner hamuli length ratio, haptor/total body length ratio, genital bulb/total body length ratio, genital spine number and COI molecular characters.     

Monogenea of Chinese marine fishes. XIV. Two new species of Microcotylidae from fishes of the South China Sea

Two new species of microcotylid monogeneans are described. Solostamenides platyorchis n. sp. was obtained from the gills of Mugil cephalus (Mugilidae) and Polylabroides guangdongensis n. sp. from the gills of Sparus macrocephalus, S. berda and Acanthopagrus latus (Sparidae). Solostamenides platyorchis is morphologically similar to S. mugilis (Vogt, 1878) Unnithan, 1971 and S. pseudomugilis (Hargis, 1956) Unnithan, 1971 in the structure of the copulatory organ, but differs from them in the number, arrangement and shape of the testes. Features of P. guangdongensis distinguishing it from other species of the genus include a copulatory organ lacking small spines and an extremely long polar filament on the egg. In view of this species, we suggest omitting the presence of small spines on the copulatory organ as a diagnostic character of the genus Polylabroides Mamaev & Parukhin, 1976.     

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.