Morphology and phylogenetic position of two novel marine gregarines (Apicomplexa,Eugregarinorida) from the intestines of North‐eastern Pacific ascidians

Eugregarine apicomplexans parasitize marine, freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, and have lifecycles involving trophozoites (feeding stages) with complex morphologies and behaviour. The genus Lankesteria refers to marine aseptate eugregarines that parasitize ascidians. We described the surface ultrastructure of two new gregarine species, L. chelyosomae sp. n. and L. cystodytae sp. n. that inhabit the intestines of Chelyosoma columbianum and Cystodytes lobatus, respectively, collected from the North‐eastern Pacific Ocean. Apart from inhabiting different hosts and major differences in the cell size of L. chelyosomae sp. n. (mean length 182 µm) and L. cystodytae sp. n. (mean length 70 µm), the morphology of both gregarine species was quite similar. The trophozoites ranged from elliptoid to obdeltoid in shape and were brownish in colour. The nucleus was situated at the anterior end of the cell just behind a pointed mucron. A dense array of epicytic knobs was present over the entire surface of trophozoites in both species, and longitudinal epicytical folds were only weakly developed. We also sequenced the small subunit rDNA from the gregarines collected from both hosts, which supported the establishment of two new Lankesteria species. Phylogenetic analyses of the new DNA sequences and those derived from other alveolates, demonstrated that both new species clustered in a strongly supported clade consisting of other Lankesteria species, Lecudina species, and some environmental sequences. These morphological and molecular phylogenetic data suggested that improved knowledge of gregarine diversity could lead to the recognition of more than one distinct clade (genus) of gregarines within ascidian hosts.     

Three new species, Lamellodiscus tubulicornis n. sp., L. magnicornis n. sp. and L. parvicornis n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Gymnocranius spp. (Lethrinidae: Monotaxinae) off New Caledonia, with the proposal of the new morphological group ‘tubulicornis’ within Lamellodiscus Johnston & Tiegs, 1922

Three new species of Lamellodiscus are described from four (including two undescribed) species of Gymnocranius off New Caledonia, South Pacific. All three species have a similar body anatomy and morphology of the haptoral hard parts and are distinguished on the basis of the male copulatory organ (MCO). Lamellodiscus tubulicornis n. sp. (type-host: G. grandoculis; other host: Gymnocranius sp. B) has an MCO with a tube and horn; L. magnicornis n. sp. (type-host: G. grandoculis; other hosts: G. euanus, Gymnocranius sp. A and Gymnocranius sp. B) has an MCO with a long horn and a membrane; L. parvicornis n. sp. (type-host: G. euanus; other hosts: G. grandoculis and Gymnocranius sp. B) has an MCO with a small horn and a membrane. Lamellodiscus epsilon Yamaguti, 1968 is redescribed based on the type-specimens (from Monotaxis grandoculis off Hawaii). Lamellodiscus sp. is recorded from Gnathodentex aureolineatus off New Caledonia. All these five species have lamellodiscs that exhibit a unique characteristic: the second lamella forms an almost closed circle, in contrast to all other described species of Lamellodiscus in which the second lamella has the form of one or two crescents. Lamellodiscus spp. are usually classified in two groups, the ‘ignoratus’ and ‘elegans’ groups, according to the structure of the lamellodisc; we propose a new ‘tubulicornis’ group for these five species. In addition to their lamellodisc structure, species of the tubulicornis group are also characterised by their egg (elongate in contrast to tetrahedral in the two other groups) and their hosts (monotaxine lethrinids as opposed to mainly sparids). The generic diagnosis of Lamellodiscus given by Amine & Euzet (2005) is amended to include species with elongate eggs.     

Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neohaliotrema</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1965 (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) from the pomacentrid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abudefduf vaigensis</Emphasis> (Quoy &; Gaimard) off Pulau Langkawi,Malaysia, with a revised diagnosis of the genus and a key to its species

Four new and one unidentified species of Neohaliotrema Yamaguti, 1965 were obtained from the gills of the Indo-Pacific sergeant Abudefduf vaigensis (Quoy & Gaimard) off Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia. The five species, N. malayense n. sp., N. bombini n. sp., N. andamanense n. sp., N. parvum n. sp. and an unidentified Neohaliotrema sp. (similar to N. macracanthum Zhukov, 1976), are described and distinguished based mainly on features of the haptor. Species of this genus are divisible into two groups, the ‘maomao group’, with two pairs of morphometrically modified ‘marginal’ hooks and a fenestrated haptor, and the ‘gracile group’, with morphologically similar marginal hooks and an entire haptor. With the exception of N. bombini n. sp., the species described fit within the ‘maomao group’. It is suggested that the more complex Neohaliotrema species of the ‘maomao group’ have modified hooks 1 and 2 on a haptoral ‘isthmus’ between two large apertures, i.e. ‘windows’, whereas the less complex species lacking these features are those of the ‘gracile group’. Neohaliotrema spp. have only a single pair of pigmented eye-spots. A fenestrated haptor is unique to the Neohaliotrema spp. of the ‘maomao group’. The generic diagnosis of Neohaliotrema is amended to include new data and a key to its known species is presented.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anisakis nascettii</Emphasis> n. sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from beaked whales of the southern hemisphere: morphological description,genetic relationships between congeners and ecological data

A new anisakid nematode, Anisakis nascettii n. sp., is described from beaked whales Mesoplodon spp. off the coast of New Zealand and South Africa. Morphological and molecular (allozymes and mtDNA cox2 sequence) data were used for diagnostic and identification purposes. Among the 19 allozymes studied, 10 were found to be unique and characteristic for A. nascettii n. sp. Analysis of allozymes demonstrated reproductive isolation from A. ziphidarum Paggi, Nascetti, Webb, Mattiucci, Cianchi & Bullini, 1998 and mtDNA cox2 sequences depict this Anisakis species as a distinct and unique entity. Key morphological diagnostic traits for A. nascettii with respect to the genetically closely related species A. ziphidarum include: spicule length, the spicule/body length ratio, the arrangement of the caudal papillae and the shape of the plectanes of the adult males. Genetic data confirmed that Anisakis sp. A of Pontes et al. (2005), which was partly described by Iglesias et al. (2008), and Anisakis sp. of Valentini et al. (2006) are conspecific with A. nascettii. Both molecular and morphological data indicate that the new species belongs to the ‘ziphidarum-group’; however, it is genetically very distinct from A. ziphidarum (D _Nei  = 0.69, K2P = 0.09), as well as from all of the previously genetically characterised Anisakis spp. All tree topologies inferred by different methods (MP, NJ and Bayesian) support the finding that A. nascettii n. sp. and A. ziphidarum are sister-species. It is also confirmed that A. nascettii n. sp. is, at the adult stage, a parasite of beaked whales of the genus Mesoplodon, whereas, as a larva, it has been identified from the squid Moroteuthis ingens Smith. Furthermore, Mesoplodon bowdoini Andrews represents a new host record for A. ziphidarum. The parallelism between the clade formed by these two anisakine taxa, i.e. A. ziphidarum and A. nascettii, and that formed by their definitive hosts further supports the hypothesis of host–parasite co-evolutionary relationships, as previously suggested for Anisakis spp. and their cetacean hosts.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Taenia arctos</Emphasis> n. sp. (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Taeniidae) from its definitive (brown bear <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ursus arctos</Emphasis> Linnaeus) and intermediate (moose/elk <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alces</Emphasis> spp.) hosts

Taenia arctos n. sp. (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Taeniidae) is described from the brown bear Ursus arctos Linnaeus (definitive host) and moose/elk Alces spp. (intermediate hosts) from Finland (type-locality) and Alaska, USA. The independent status of the new species and the conspecificity of its adults and metacestodes have been recently confirmed by the mtDNA sequence data of Lavikainen et al. (2011; Parasitology International, 60, 289–295). Special reference is given to morphological differences between the new species and T. krabbei Moniez, 1879 (definitive hosts primarily canines for the latter), both of which use the moose/elk (Alces spp.) as intermediate hosts (the latter also uses Rangifer and perhaps other northern ruminants), and between the new species and T. ursina Linstow, 1893, both of which use the brown bear U. arctos as a definitive host. New morphological data are also provided for adults and cysticerci of T. krabbei. The analysis includes potentially useful morphometric features that have not been previously applied to Taenia spp.     

New water mite species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aturus</Emphasis> (Acari,Hydrachnidia, Aturidae) from Russia

Two new species of the genus Aturus Kramer (A. tuzovskyi sp. n. and A. kimichungi sp. n.) from Russia are described. These species and closely related species of the genus Aturus are compared. A. tuzovskyi sp. n. male is characterized by a slender body, the presence of a pair of bifurcated setae on the dorsal shield, two sword ventrodistal setae equal in length on the genu of leg IV, and 10–14 pairs of acetabula. The female of this species is characterized by the oval body and the presence of 10–13 pairs of acetabula. The male of A. kimichungi sp. n. is characterized by a rounded body, the presence of a single pair of bifurcated setae on the dorsal shield; sword setae on the genu IV are longer than tibia IV; 14–21 pairs of acetabula are present. The female of this species possesses a rounded body and 18–19 pairs of acetabula.     

Further investigations of the mite genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Syringophiloidus</Emphasis> Kethley, 1970 (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) from North American passerines

Four new syringophilid species of Syringophiloidus Kethley, 1970 are described from North American passerines: S. zonotrichia n. sp. from Zonotrichia albicolis (Gmelin) (Emberizidae) on Texas; S. jackowiaki n. sp. from Poecile carolinensis (Auduborn) (Paridae) in Texas; and S. xanthocephalus n. sp. from Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (Bonaparte) (Icteridae) and S. agelaius n. sp. from Agelaius phoeniceus Linnaeus (Icteridae), both from Arizona. Spizella breweri (Cassin) (Emberizidae) from California is a new host for Syringophiloidus sialius Skoracki, Flannery & Spicer, 2009; and Melospiza lincolnii (Auduborn) (Emberizidae) from Texas and Vermivora ruficapilla (Wilson) (Parulidae) from California are new hosts for S. seiuri (Ckark, 1964). S. daberti Bochkov, Fain & Skoracki, 2004 from Passerina ciris Linnaeus (Cardinalidae) is recorded in the USA for the first time. A table with the host associations and distribution of all of the North American species of Syringophiloidus is given.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dermoergasilus</Emphasis> Ho &; Do, 1982 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) from freshwater fishes in the south-west of Western Australia

A new species of Dermoergasilus Ho & Do, 1982 is described from freshwater fish hosts in the south west of Western Australia. D. occidentalis n. sp. differs from previously described species in the genus principally by the armature of the legs. The new species was found on the gills of the freshwater cobbler Tandanus bostocki Whitely and western minnow Galaxias occidentalis Ogilby in two different river systems.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphelenchoides</Emphasis> (Nematoda: Aphelenchida: Aphelenchoidea: Aphelenchidae) from Manipur,India

Analysis of the soil samples collected from around rhizospheric region of mulberry plants grown in Yurembam Rose Garden, Yurembam, Imphal West, Manipur yielded several soil and plant parasitic nematodes. Among them four species of Aphelenchoides were recorded. Upon detailed study, two species of Aphelenchoides were found to be new to science. Aphelenchoides dhanachandi sp. n. is characterized by ventrally curved body, clearly set off cephalic region and tail ending into a sharp pointed terminus, and stylet slender, 13.6–15.3 (14 ± 0.7) μm long with indistinct basal swellings and tamarind seed-shaped median bulb. Aphelenchoides neoechinocaudatus sp. n. is characterized by straight body with four incisures in the lateral field, flatten cephalic region, slender stylet with indistinct basal swellings, 11.9 μm long, elongated pear-shaped median bulb and short tail with pointed mucro. The two species are illustrated here.     

Feather mites (Astigmata: Psoroptidia) parasitising the rock ptarmigan <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lagopus muta</Emphasis> (Montin) (Aves: Galliformes) in Iceland

Four new species of feather mites are described from the Icelandic rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta islandorum (Faber) in Iceland. These are Metamicrolichus islandicus n. sp., Myialges borealis n. sp. (Epidermoptidae), Strelkoviacarus holoaspis n. sp. (Analgidae) and Tetraolichus lagopi n. sp. (Pterolichidae). This is the first report on feather mites associated with the Icelandic rock ptarmigan. Brief comments on the systematics and biology of corresponding feather mite genera are given. For two species, originally described in Pterolichus Robin, 1868 (Pterolichidae), new combinations are proposed, i.e. Tetraolichus gaudi (Černy, 1971) n. comb. and T. microdiscus (Trouessart, 1887) n. comb.     

A review of encyrtid wasps of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anicetus</Emphasis> Howard, 1896 (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) of the new world,Hawaiian Islands,and Australia with description of new species from Mexico

The review contains a characteristic (with diagnosis) of the genus Anicetus Howard, 1896, a key to the females of the 12 species known from the New World, the Hawaiian Islands, and Australia, and a synopsis of the species with data on their distribution, hosts, biology, ecesis, and use in biological control of injurious coccids. Two new species are described from Mexico: Anicetus myartsevae sp. n. and A. villarreali sp. n. Anicetus carolinensis J. Meyer, 2001 from the USA is excluded from the genus and transferred to Homosemion Annecke, 1967. A new combination is established: Anicetus argentinus (Fidalgo, 1979), comb. n. from Paraceraptrocerus Girault, 1920, which is a synonym of Anicetus. The paper is based on the author’s work in the insect depositories of the USA (Washington, San Francisco, and Riverside), Mexico (Ciudad Victoria), and Russia (St. Petersburg). Anicetus myartsevae sp. n. is compared with the Mexican A. primus (Howard, 1898), from which it differs in the antennal scape half as long dorsally as at base (as long as that in A. primus), the legs more or less extensively dark (mainly yellow in A. primus), and the face with a dark transverse stripe (without stripe in A. primus). Anicetus villarrieli sp. n. is a short-winged species.     

Taxonomic review and key to European Ichneumon flies (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), parasitoids of gall-forming sawflies of the genera Pontania Costa, Phyllocolpa Benson, and Euura Newman (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) on willows: Part I

Extensive material on parasitoids of the family Ichneumonidae reared from gall-making sawflies on Salix is identified. The general host—parasite list includes 75 species of hosts—Pontania (40 spp.), Phyllocolpa (21 spp.), Euura (14 spp.), their food plants (33 species of Salix), and their parasitoids of the family Ichneumonidae; many data on hosts and parasitoids are recorded for the first time. The complex of ichneumonids on gallforming sawflies is composed of about 45 species belonging to 15 genera of 6 subfamilies. The annotated list of about 30 species of ichneumonids (except for species of Saotis) reared from gall-making sawflies is given with data on the literature, studied material, distribution, and hosts. Two new species Anoncus gallicola sp. n. and Rhinotorus brachycerus sp. n. are described. A key to the species of the Ichneumonidae of this complex is given.     

Monogenoidean parasites of the gill lamellae of the sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus (Walbaum) (Perciformes: Sparidae) from the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, with descriptions of four new species of Euryhaliotrema Kritsky & Boeger, 2002 (Dactylogyridae)

Examination of the gill lamellae of three sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus (Walbaum) from the Indian River Lagoon in Florida revealed six species of Monogenoidea: Microcotyle archosargi MacCallum, 1913 (Microcotylidae); Neobenedenia sp. (Capsalidae); and four new species of Euryhaliotrema Kritsky & Boeger, 2002 (Dactylogyridae). The prevalence of all helminths was 100%, except for Neobenedenia sp., which was represented by a single immature specimen. The four new species, Euryhaliotrema carbuncularium n. sp., E. dunlapae n. sp., E. amydrum n. sp. and E. spirulum n. sp., are described and with E. carbunculus (Hargis, 1955) Kritsky & Boeger, 2002 apparently constitute a monophyletic clade of Euryhaliotrema spp. that parasitise sparid hosts in the western hemisphere. The Indian River Lagoon in Florida represents a new locality record for M. archosargi, and the sheepshead is apparently a new host record for a member (Neobenedenia sp.) of the Capsalidae.     

Pterygodermatites variabilis n. sp. (Nematoda: Rictularioidea) from the Indian gerbils of Pakistan

Pterygodermatites variabilis n. sp. (Nematoda: Rictulalarioidea) from the Indian gerbils Tatera indica collected from Sind and Baluchistan Provinces of Pakistan is described and compared with closely related species of the genus recovered from small mammalian hosts. The new species is characterised by a combination of the following characters: it possesses a regular crown of 26 and 14–38 denticles in male and female specimens respectively, 40–47 pairs of pre-vulvar spines, and a variable position of the vulva in specimens collected from different localities: it also differs in the size of the spicules and gubernaculum.     

Cucullanid nematodes (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) from deep-sea marine fishes off New Caledonia,including <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dichelyne etelidis</Emphasis> n. sp.

Three nematode species of the family Cucullanidae, intestinal parasites of marine perciform fishes, are reported from off New Caledonia: Cucullanus bourdini Petter & Le Bel, 1992 from the crimson jobfish Pristipomoides filamentosus (Valenciennes) and the goldflag jobfish Pristipomoides auricilla (Jordan, Evermann & Tanaka) (new host record) (both Lutjanidae); Dichelyne etelidis n. sp. from the deep-water red snapper Etelis carbunculus Cuvier (type-host) and the deep-water longtail red snapper Etelis coruscans Valenciennes (both Lutjanidae); and Dichelyne sp. (only one female) from the trumpet emperor Lethrinus miniatus (Forster) (Lethrinidae). Detailed light and electron microscopical studies revealed in C. bourdini some taxonomically important, previously unreported features, such as the location of the excretory pore, nature of the vulva and the size of fully-developed eggs. The new species, D. etelidis, is characterised mainly by the length of the spicules (462–748 μm), a single intestinal caecum, the location of the deirids and excretory pore, the arrangement of the genital papillae and the host group.     

Four New Species of the Feather Mite Genus Vanginyssus Mironov, 2001 (Astigmata: Pteronyssidae) from the Vangas (Passeriformes: Vangidae) in Madagascar

Four new feather mite species of Vanginyssus Mironov, 2001 are described from vangas (Passeriformes: Vangidae), an endemic passerine family from Madagascar: Vanginyssus euryceros n. sp. from the helmet vanga Euryceros prevostii Lesson, V. madagascarinus n. sp. from the blue vanga Cyanolanius madagascarinus (Linnaeus), V. mystacornis n. sp. from the Crossley’s babbler Mystacornis crossleyi (Grandidier) and V.␣orioliae n. sp. from the Bernier’s vanga Oriolia bernieri Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. A key to the five known species of Vanginyssus is provided.     

Landmark-based morphometric analysis of the body shape of two sympatric species, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ctenopharynx pictus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Otopharynx </Emphasis>sp. “heterodon nankhumba” (Teleostei: Cichlidae), from Lake Malawi

 Morphological differences in body shape of two sympatric benthophagous cichlid species from Lake Malawi, Ctenopharynx pictus and an undescribed species, Otopharynx sp. “heterodon nankhumba,” were investigated using geometric morphometric methods. From digitized data of landmark points on lateral profiles of fishes, the shape of each species was compared by the thin-plate spline method. Statistical analyses revealed significant variation in both uniform and nonuniform components of shape between the two species. From the splines generated, it was revealed that most of the significant variation between the two species occurs in the head region. Specifically, C. pictus has a longer and deeper head than Otopharynx sp. In addition, the mouth of C. pictus is larger than that of Otopharynx sp. In the trunk region, C. pictus has a shorter abdominal cavity, which may indicate possession of shorter intestines than Otopharynx sp. The variation in gross head morphology and intestinal length may reflect interspecific differences in trophic ecology, possibly facilitating the coexistence of the two species through resource partitioning.     

Systematic re‐appraisal of the gall‐usurping wasp genus Synophrus Hartig, 1843 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini)

Several unanswered questions remain regarding the taxonomy and phylogeny of inquiline gallwasps (Cynipidae: Synergini), obligate inhabitants of plant galls induced primarily by other gallwasps (Cynipidae: Cynipini and Diplolepidini). Here we use morphological and molecular data to revise the inquiline genus Synophrus, members of which are notable for extensively modifying the structure of galls induced by oak gallwasp hosts on oaks in the section Cerris of Quercus subgenus Quercus in the Western Palaearctic. Previous taxonomic treatments have recognized three Western Palaearctic species of Synophrus: S. pilulae, S. politus and S. olivieri. Our results support the establishment of four additional Western Palaearctic species: Synophrus hungaricus sp.n. , S. libani sp.n. , S. syriacus sp.n. and S. hispanicus sp.n. We describe and diagnose these new taxa, analyse their phylogenetic relationships, and show that Synophrus inquilines are able to impose their own gall phenotypes on those of their hosts. We provide an updated key to Synophrus.