A reassessment of the pentastomid genusLeiperia Sambon, 1922, with a description of a new species from both the Indopacific crocodileCrocodylus porosus and Johnston's crocodileC. johnsoni in Australia

The two pentastomid species currently included in the genusLeiperia Sambon, 1922 (family Sebekidae Fain, 1961) are re-assessed. Measurements of chitinous structures, notably the hooks, fulcra and oral cadre of three adult females of the otherwise well-characterised speciesL. cincinnalis Sambon, 1922, from the bronchi of the Nile crocodileCrocodylus niloticus, exhibit a degree of variation that is usual in pentastomid morphometrics. Similar measurements of six nymphs from the aorta and heart of two other crocodiles, although equally variable, do not differentiate these from infective nymphs removed from cysts within the body cavity of a South African fish (Pelamatachromis robustus) intermediate host. Adult females of another species,L. australiensis n. sp., from the bronchi of the Indopacific crocodileCrocodylus porosus from Northern Australia are described. Females (N=3) are smaller and more slender than their African counterparts, and their chitinous structures, although equally variable, are correspondingly smaller. A mature male, from the lung of Johnston's crocodileC. johnsoni, is also allocated to this species because the ranges and diet of the two crocodilian hosts overlap. Also, this zone of syntopy is sufficient to maintain populations of two other species belonging to the family Sebekidae (Sebekia spp.) in both hosts. This male is the first of the genusLeiperia to be fully described, and its copulatory spicules are quite distinctive. Three other immature specimens ofL. australiensis from the lung, or near to the lung, of the definitive host are also described. In the light of these findings the literature is re-appraised, and it is evident that at least two moreLeiperia spp. exist in South America, and that presently these are known only as nymphs. The existing South American species,L. gracilis Heymons & Vitzthum, 1935 (=Pentastoma gracile Diesing, 1835) was established only on the basis of immature or nymphal forms, almost certainly encompassing several genera. Despite claims to the contrary in the literature, this ‘species’ should be regarded as aspecies inquirenda. Aspects of the life-cycle ofLeiperia spp., from the infective stage in fish and the subsequent instars, are also discussed.     

A revision of the genus Alofia Giglioli, 1922 and a description of a new monotypic genus,Selfia: two genera of pentastomid parasites (Porocephalida: Sebekidae) inhabiting the bronchioles of the marine crocodile Crocodylus porosus and other crocodilians

The pentastomid genus Alofia Giglioli, 1922 (Porocephalida: Sebekidae), which is exclusively parasitic in the bronchioles of crocodiles, is reviewed. The type-species of the taxon, A. ginae Giglioli, 1922 from an unknown host allegedly taken in Samoa, had very distinctive, fine hooks with long slender blades bent at right angles. I describe a single female with identical hooks from the Philippines which was almost certainly derived from the marine crocodile Crocodylus porosus. This same host harboured two specimens of another Alofia species, tentatively identified as A. merki Giglioli, 1922, a species originally described with A. ginae (and, in all probability, from the same (unknown) host). Additional male and female specimens of A. merki, from several specimens of Australian C. porosus, re-affirm the characteristics of this species. Another new Alofia species, A. simpsoni, from an unknown host in Ghana, is established from measurements of two slide-mounted specimens (previously labelled Sebekia) from The Natural History Museum. There can be little doubt that its host is also a crocodile. A new monotypic genus Selfia is described, based on a type-series of 14 female and one male pentastomids dissected from the bronchioles of five specimens of C. porosus, all taken in Australia. Of the genera comprising the family Sebekidae (Alofia, Sebekia, Diesingia and Leiperia) Selfia is closest to the first, and its main diagnostic characteristics include a massive Alofia-like body, but with a markedly tapered, bluntly-rounded tail, and small, smooth ‘linear’ hooks with minute blades. The rear part of the anterior hooks are enveloped by a soft, cowl-like extension to the fulcrum, covered by small spines. The oral cadre is not U-shaped as in Alofia, but is more like that of Sebekia, whereas by contrast the male copulatory spicules of Selfia porosus and Alofia spp. are virtually identical, except in size. One previously described Alofia sp. from South American crocodilians is well characterized and valid, but two others are considered species inquirendae.     

<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.     

Proemotobothrium n. g. (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha), with the redescription of P. linstowi (Southwell, 1912) n. comb. and description of P. southwelli n. sp.

A new genus, Proemotobothrium (Trypanorhyncha: Otobothriidae), is erected to contain P. linstowi (Southwell, 1912) n. comb. (syn. Otobothrium magnum Southwell, 1924) and P. southwelli n. sp. The new genus is characterised by two bothridia, paired bothridial pits, an acraspedote scolex, elongate bulbs, four hooks per principal row, hooks 4 (4') being small and uncinate, a single, filiform, intercalary hook between each principal row and by the arrangement, in tandem, of the two or three extra hooks of the armature of the external surface of the tentacle, a pattern previously known only in the family Mixodigmatidae. The two species are distinguished from one another on the basis of measurements of the scolex and bulbs, the sizes of the hooks of the principal rows and by the number and size of the additional hooks in the linear arrays on the external surface of the tentacle.     

Acanthocephaloides cyrusi n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Arhythmacanthidae) from southeast African teleost fishes

A new species,Acanthocephaloides cyrusi, is described from the fishesSolea bleekeri andPomadasys commersoni from Lake St. Lucia, Natal, South Africa. It is distinguished from the other species in the genus by the more marked sexual dimorphism in length, the arrangement of hooks, the proboscis with the longest hooks at the anterior-most extremity and the greater size of the proboscis hooks and body spines. An acanthella, which may represent this species, was found in the tanaidApseudes digitalis.     

Neotropical Monogenoidea. 52. Diechodactylus joaberi n. g., n. sp. from the banded knifefish Gymnotus carapo (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae) in southeastern Brazil

Diechodactylus joaberi n. g., n. sp. is described from the body surface of the banded knifefish Gymnotus carapo L. (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae) from southeastern Brazil. The new genus is proposed to accommodate species with five pairs of hooks in anterior bilateral clusters on the haptor, three pairs of hooks in a single cluster on the posterior margin of the haptor, sclerites R1 associated with the superficial bar, and confluent intestinal caeca. The presence of five pairs of hooks in two bilateral clusters anterior in the haptor permits the differentiation of species of Diechodactylus from species of all known genera of the Gyrodactylidae. The genus is likely a member of a clade of the Gyrodactylidae comprising genera with a similar hook distribution.     

Pseudangularia gonzalezi n. sp. and Gibsonilepis swifti (Singh, 1952) n. g., n. comb. (Cestoda, Dilepididae) from the House Swift, Apus affinis (J.E. Gray) (Aves, Apodiformes) from Franceville, Republic of Gabon

Nine specimens of Apus affinis (J.E. Gray) were studied at Franceville, Haut-Ogooué Province, Republic of Gabon, for the presence of helminth parasites. Two cestode species of the family Dilepididae were recorded. Pseudangularia gonzalezi n. sp. is distinguished from the most similar species P. europaea Georgiev & Murai, 1993 by having elliptical cirrus-sac, longer vagina, longer rostellar sheath and greater diameter of suckers. An identification key to the species of the genus Pseudangularia Burt, 1938 is proposed. The present study is the first record of the genus Pseudangularia in the Afrotropical Region. Our study confirms that, in dilepidids with vaginal sclerites from swifts, breaking off the cirrus after copulation is a frequent phenomenon. The genus Gibsonilepis n. g. is erected as monotypic for Vitta swifti Singh, 1952 (originally described from the same host species in India) and Gibsonilepis swifti n. comb. is proposed. Gibsonilepis n. g. is distinguished from Vitta Burt, 1938 by its highly elongate rostellum, rostellar sheath much bigger than rostellum, relatively small rostellar hooks possessing strongly developed guard, disc-shaped suckers with weak peripheral musculature and flat or convex central part, long and well-expressed neck, highly lobed two-winged ovary (lobes rounded) and presence of a band consisting of rows of spine-like microtriches along posterior margin of each proglottis. This is the first record of G. swifti in the Afrotropical Region. The separation of G. swifti from the genus Vitta (parasites of swallows) suggests that, contrary to previous opinions, no dilepidid genera are shared by Apodidae (swifts) and Hirundinidae (swallows).     

Onchobothrium malakhovi n. sp. (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea) ex Bathyraja (Arctoraja) sexoculata (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) from Kuril Islands (Russia), with comments on the status of the genus Onchobothrium

Onchobothrium malakhovi n. sp. was found in the spiral valve of the softnose skate Bathyraja (Arctoraja) sexoculata off the Simushir Island (Kuril Islands, Russia). The new species has bothridia with three loculi and no additional suckers on bothridia, single-toothed hooks unconnected by their bases, no spines at the bases of the hooks, dense matrix around the hook bases shaped as an unpaired butterfly wing, and a short and wide ovary. Onchobothrium malakhovi n. sp. differs from O. antarcticum and O. magnum in having a smaller total length, cirrus sac and ovary, smaller testes and eggs. Additionally, the new species differs from O. antarcticum by the absence of a vaginal sphincter and shorter bothridia; differs from O. magnum in having fewer proglottids and smaller vitelline follicles. It differs from O. farmeri, O. convolutum, and O. pseudouncinatum, by the absence of a small spine at the base of the hooks and the absence of accessory suckers on bothridia; from O. pseudouncinatum, additionally, by unconnected hooks; from O. schizacanthium, by the number of testes and by the presence of a postvaginal group of testes. Onchobothrium malakhovi n. sp. was placed among other members of the Onchoproteocephalidea with a high support based on the sequence data for the D1-D3 region of the 28S rDNA and cox1 gene. The phylogenetic position of the genus Onchobothrium sensu lato remains ambiguous. We suggest that Onchobothrium sensu lato is a complex genus containing at least two morphologically different groups of species. Onchobothrium farmer, O. convolutum, O. schizacanthium, and O. pseudouncinatum, for which there are no molecular genetic data, are considerably different morphologically from O. malakhovi n. sp., O. antarcticum, and O. magnum. A new genus might have to be established for the latter three species after the accumulation of genetic data.     

Acanthocephalus reunionensis n sp (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae), a parasite of Anguilla species (Anguillidae) from Reunion Island

In a survey of 118 eels Anguilla bicolor, A. marmorata and A. mossambica, (Anguillidae) indigenous to Reunion Island in the Mascarene island group, western Indian Ocean, a new species of acanthocephalan, Acanthocepholus reunionensis n. sp., was found. With a proboscis hook formula of 19 rows of 4-5 hooks, and elongated cement glands arranged in three pairs, this species differs from all other species in the genus. This is the first record of the genus Acanthocephalus occurring in eels from the African Region.     

Grillotia australis n. sp. and G. pristiophori n. sp. (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) from Australian elasmobranch and teleost fishes

Two new species of Grillotia are described from elasmobranch and teleost fishes from south-eastern Australia. G. australis n. sp., from the Australian angel shark Squatina australis. Regan, most closely resembles G. smarisgora (Wagener, 1854) and G. angeli Dollfus, 1969, differing from both species in the presence of smaller bulbs, two or occasionally three hooks in each intercalary row in the basal region, reduced to one in the metabasal region compared with four or five hooks in the metabasal region of G. smarisgora and a single hook in G. angeli, and in the limited extent of the band of hooklets on the external surface in the basal region of the tentacle, a region which is covered with hooks in G. smarisgora. Plerocerci of this species were found in the mackerel Trachurus declivis (Jenys) (site not known) from Tasmania. G. pristiophori n. sp., from the saw sharks Pristiophorus cirratus (Latham) and P. nudipinnis Günther, most closely resembles G. spinosissima Dollfus, 1969 in possessing a scolex covered with spiniform microtriches, but differs in having six rather than five hooks in each principal row, no intercalary hooks and by possessing a band of hooklets on the external surface of the tentacle which diminishes distally into a single file, rather than persisting as a band eight to nine files wide. G. pristiophori is the first trypanorhynch to be recorded from saw-sharks.     

Morphology and geographical variation of Pseudokuhnia minor n.g., n.comb. (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea)

A new genus, Pseudokuhnia, is established for Kuhnia minor, family Mazocraeidae. It differs from Kuhnia in the presence of two dorso-lateral vaginae, supported by surface ridges; differently shaped large genital hooks, large hamuli and ovary; an opisthaptor which is ventral to and well separated from the body proper; and a rudimentary antero-supplementarium of the clamps. The Atlantic population of P. minor differs from the Pacific population mainly in the larger size of the hamuli and the smaller size of the large and small genital hooks.     

The bothridial hooks of Acanthobothrium quadripartitum Williams, 1968 (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea): Their growth and use in taxonomy

McVicar A. H. 1977. The bothridial hooks of Acanthobothrium quadripartitum Williams, 1968 (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea): their growth and use in taxonomy. International Journal for Parasitology7: 439–442. Bothridial hooks are absent from juvenile Acanthobothrium quadripartitum in Raja naevus but develop to full size before there is much growth of the bothridia and strobila. There is a linear relationship between the lengths of the different components of the hooks during their development and it is suggested that the ratios of these lengths to the total hook length may be useful parameters in dstinguishing between species of Acanthobothrium. Principal component analysis of published hook dimensions gave good separation of most species of Acanthobothrium.     

Sievoides kocyigiti n. gen., n. sp., Mesoendothyra altineriana n. sp. and Kurnubia feleensis n. sp. from Kimmeridgian shallow water limestones intercalated with alkaline igneous rocks, Western Taurus, Turkey

In the framework of the palaeogeographical reconstruction of the Western Taurus during Jurassic, the study of northern and eastern boundary of the Taurids started. Detailed facies analysis evidenced the position of the Barla Dag ramp between two elevated areas: the southern rimmed shelf extension of the platform system and the northern neritic-beach-land plain. In the basal biostratigraphical and ecological characteristics of the Balcikhisar volcano-sedimentary sequence, correlated with the Fele outcrop, one genus and three new species of foraminifers have been found: Sievoides kocyigiti n. gen., n. sp. and Mesoendothyra altineriana n. sp. from neritic environment, and Kurnubia feleensis n. sp. from rimmed shelf lagoon. Both carbonate sedimentary deposits are intercalated with spilitic-basalt pillow lava flows. The age of the new three species is Kimmeridgian, controlled by some foraminifer golden hooks.     

Durettechina beveridgei n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Seuratidae) from Antechinus spp. (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia) from Australia

Durettechina beveridgei n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Seuratidae) is described from Antechinus flavipes (Dasyuridae) from Victoria and New South Wales. A single female from A. bellus from the Northern Territory may also be D. beveridgei. This new genus is compared with other genera of the Echinonematinae, to which it has been assigned. The genus has a unique body armature and most closely resembles Chabaudechina, in the armature of the cephalic bulb, but has four rather than five rows of hooks, and Linstowinema, in having body hooks on the cuticle of the anterior region, but has 18–22 hooks in each row rather than 14–16. The hooks of Durettechina are also smaller and have a less complex root morphology than those of Linstowinema. Durettechina resembles Seurechina and Chabaudechina in having caudal alae into which papillae extend, but differs from both these genera in the number and arrangement of the caudal papillae, as well as in the body armature. Durettechina, is most different from Bainechina, which has neither hooks on a cephalic bulb nor body hooks on the anterior region nor caudal alae.