A new species of Calliobothrium (Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) from the whiskery shark, Furgaleus macki, in Australia

Calliobothrium pritchardae n. sp. is described from the whiskery shark, Furgaleus macki (Whitley, 1943), collected from Young Rocks in South Australia. This species differs from the 7 other known species of Calliobothrium in its possession of 2 rather than 3 posthook loculi. It is a further distinguished from all other Calliobothrium species except Calliobothrium evani in its possession of asymmetrical hooks. The lack of an accessory piece between the bases of the axial hooks and medial axial hook bases that are longer than the lateral axial hook bases further distinguish the new species from C. evani in which an accessory piece is present and the relative lengths of the medial and lateral axial hook bases are reversed. Scanning electron microscopy reveals spiniform microtriches on the neck and proximal bothridial surfaces, filiform microtriches on the apical bothridial surfaces, and a combination of the 2 microthrix types on the distal bothridial surfaces. The extended bases of the axial hooks are densely covered with spiniform microtriches. In addition, the number of testes within worms decreases substantially in progressively posterior (older) segments. The generic diagnosis of Calliobothrium is emended to include this species with 2 rather than 3 posthook loculi.     

Orygmatobothrium spp. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea) from triakid sharks in Argentina: redescription of Orygmatobothrium schmitti and description of a new species

Two species of Orygmatobothrium were found inhabiting triakid sharks collected from the coast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Orygmatobothrium schmittii from Mustelus schmitti is redescribed, including new information on the microtrich pattern. Orygmatobothrium juani n. sp. from Mustelus fasciatus can be distinguished from all other species in the genus using the following combination of characters: worm length, number of proglottids, number of testes, testes distribution, size of eggs, ornamented egg shell, shape of bothridial cleft at level of the marginal accessory sucker, and the extension of vitelline follicles. Species in Orygmatobothrium share a common microtrich pattern with the distal bothridial surface covered with maisiform microtriches interspersed with filiform microtriches, a proximal bothridial surface covered with trifid microtriches, with a medial projection conspicuously larger than the lateral basal projections interspersed with filiform microtriches, an inner and outer surface of the accessory sucker and glandulomuscular organ covered with short filiform microtriches, the scolex proper and cephalic peduncle surface covered with bladelike microtriches, and the germinative zone and entire strobila covered with scutes formed by densely packed filiform microtriches. This general configuration is basically similar to the microtrich pattern described in species of Orectolobicestus and Paraorygmatobothrium.     

A new species of Acanthobothrium (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) from the ocellate river stingray, Potamotrygon motoro (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae), in Argentina

Examination of the spiral intestines of 44 freshwater stingrays, Potamotrygon motoro, from tributary rivers of the Parana River in Argentina, allowed for the collection of specimens of an undescribed species of Acanthobothrium. Acanthobothrium ramiroi n. sp. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: asymmetrical hooks (medial and lateral hooks conspicuously different in size and form, with axial prong of medial hooks stouter than abaxial prong), hook size (total length of medial hooks up to 242 microm, total length of lateral hooks up to 239 microm), bothridia not fused to the scolex proper at posterior ends, worm size (51-84 mm long), and the presence of a conspicuous vaginal sphincter. The new species is different from all other species of Acanthobothrium in freshwater potamotrygonids, except Acanthobothrium terezae, in having conspicuous asymmetrical hooks. The main differences that allow for the distinction between A. ramiroi and A. terezae include hook size, the way the bothridia are attached to the scolex proper, and the shape of the older gravid segments. The discovery of a new species of Acanthobothrium from a potamotrygonid extends our understanding of the diversity of the genus in freshwater stingrays in South America.     

Five new species of Acanthobothrium (Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) from the freshwater stingray Himantura chaophraya (Batoidea: Dasyatidae) in Malaysian Borneo

Five new species of Acanthobothrium (Tetraphyllidea: Onchobothriidae) are described from the spiral intestine of the Freshwater whipray, Himantura chaophraya, in the Kinabatangan River in Malaysian Borneo. Based on criteria set forth in a previous categorization scheme for species of Acanthobothrium, these consist of 3 Category 1 species, Acanthobothrium asnihae n. sp., Acanthobothrium saliki n. sp., and Acanthobothrium zainali n. sp.; a Category 8 species, Acanthobothrium etini n. sp.; and a Category 2 species, Acanthobothrium masnihae n. sp.. Acanthobothrium asnihae n. sp. differs from all Category 1 species in its possession of a horizontal band of weak musculature that divides the posterior loculus in half. Among Category 1 species, A. saliki n. sp. differs from all but Acanthobothrium southwelli in its possession of postovarian testes. It differs from A. southwelli in its possession of fewer testes and a greater number of proglottids. Acanthobothrium zainali n. sp. differs from the 25 other Category 1 species in a combination of overall size, muscular pad and hook shape, arrangement and number of testes, ovary configuration in cross section, position of ovarian isthmus, and genital pore position. Acanthobothrium etini n. sp. is distinguished from all 5 other Category 8 species in its lack of testes from the proglottid antiporal and postporal regions and in testis number. Acanthobothrium masnihae n. sp. differs from the 35 other Category 2 species in its possession of fewer testes, postporal testes, or a greater number of proglottids. A key to Acanthobothrium species parasitizing H. chayophraya is presented. This represents the first report of Acanthobothrium from freshwater stingrays belonging to a family other than the Potamotrygonidae.     

A new diplectanid (Monogenea) genus and species from the gills of the black snook, Centropomus nigrescens (Perciformes: Centropomidae) of the Pacific coast of Mexico

Cornutohaptor nigrescensi n. sp. (Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of the black snook, Centropomus nigrescens (Perciformes: Centropomidae) from the Pacific coast of Mexico. Cornutohaptor n. gen. is proposed for this new species and is characterized by possessing 2 intestinal ceca terminating blindly; a germarium looping right intestinal cecum; bilobed testis; 2 seminal vesicles; 7 pairs of hooks, each with protruding thumb; a grooved ventral bar and coiled male copulatory organ (MCO); an accessory piece comprising a "baglike structure" with an appendage; dorsal bars associated parallelly to body midline; and no adhesive accessory organs on the haptor. Cornutohaptor differs from all confamilial genera by including species with anchors with straight and deep root longest, hook pair 1 reduced in size, MCO with counterclockwise rings, and by the morphology of the accessory piece. Cornutohaptor nigrescensi most closely resembles species of Murraytrema Price, 1937, Lobotrema Tripathi, 1937, and Murraytrematoides Yamaguti, 1958, because of the absence of squamodiscs or lamellodiscs on the haptor and tegumental scales on the posterior portion of the body. Cornutohaptor differs from these genera in the position and number of haptoral bars (2 bars in Lobotrema spp., dorsal bars transversally associated in Murraytrema and Murraytrematoides spp.) and in having a coiled MCO (copulatory organ is a comparatively straight, poorly sclerotized tube in Murraytrematoides spp.). This is the first diplectanid described from a centropomid along the Pacific coast of Mexico.     

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.     

Two new species of Echinobothrium van Beneden, 1849 (Cestoda: Diphyllidea) from the Persian Gulf

Two new species of diphyllidean cestodes are described from the Persian Gulf, Echinobothrium persiense n. sp. from Rhinobatos punctifer Compagno & Randall and Echinobothrium hormozganiense n. sp. from Mustelus mosis Hemprich & Ehrenberg. E. persiense is the first record of a species of Echinobothrium van Beneden, 1849 from R. punctifer and these two new species increase the number of diphyllideans known from the Persian Gulf from one to three. The number of apical hooks of E. persiense (hook formula: {5-6 6/5 5-6}) is distinct from all other species in the genus except for E. affine Diesing, 1863, E. harfordi McVicar, 1976, E. bonasum Williams & Campbell, 1980, E. fautleyae Tyler & Caira, 1999, E. syrtense (Neifar, Tyler & Euzet, 2001) Tyler, 2006 (emend), E. chisholmae Jones & Beveridge, 2001, E. tetabuanense Ivanov & Caira, 2012, E. sematanense Ivanov & Caira, 2012 and E. weipaense Ivanov & Caira, 2012. Echinobothrium persiense can be distinguished from all other species of the genus with 11 apical hooks by a combination of the following features: armed cephalic peduncle, testes arranged in a single column, lateral hooklets arranged in two groups, U-shaped ovary, cephalic peduncle length (124-181 μm), genital pore and cirrus-sac position, and by having 10-14 spines per row on the cephalic peduncle. Echinobothrium hormozganiense has a hook formula of {12-15 16/15 12-15} and is similar to E. musteli Pintner, 1889, E. notoguidoi Ivanov, 1997 and E. diamanti Ivanov & Lipshitz, 2006 by possessing additional spines between the rostellum and the bothria. It differs from E. musteli by having an H-shaped ovary and lateral hooklets arranged in two lateral groups, and the number of spines per row on the cephalic peduncle (18-21) readily differentiates it from E. notoguidoi (24-26) and E. diamanti (95-118). With these two new species, Echinobothrium van Beneden, 1849 now includes 45 valid species.     

Two new species of Macrobothridium (Cestoda: Diphyllidea) from rhinobatid elasmobranchs in the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia, with notes on the status of the genus.

As a result of an investigation of metazoan parasites of elasmobranch fishes in the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia, we discovered 2 new species of diphyllidean cestodes. Macrobothridium euterpes n. sp. is described from the spiral intestine of Rhinobatos rhinobatos, and Macrobothridium syrtensis n. sp. from the spiral intestine of Rhinobatos cemiculus. Macrobothridium euterpes is distinguished from the only other species in the genus (Macrobothridium rhynchobati) by the number of rostellar hooks, size, genital pore position, vagina position, and ovary shape. Macrobothridium syrtensis is distinguished from M. rhynchobati by the hook morphology, testis number, and overall size, and from M. euterpes by the number of rostellar hooks, testis number, genital pore position, vagina position, and ovary shape. These are the first 2 species added to the genus since its establishment in 1989. A standardized formula for representing the number and arrangement of rostellar hooks in diphyllidean species is presented.     

Monogeneans from Clarias (Siluriformes, Clariidae) in Cameroon. II. Description of three new species of Birgiellus n gen (Dactylogyridea, Ancyrocephalidae) in the Nyong Basin

A study of monogenean gill parasites from three species of the genus Clarias Scopoli, 1777 (Clariidae), namely Clarias camerunensis L?nnberg, 1895, C. jaensis Boulenger, 1909 and C. pachynema Boulenger, 1903, from the Nyong Basin (Cameroon) revealed the presence of three new monogenean species of the new genus Birgiellus, namely Birgiellus mutatus n. sp. from C. pachynema, B. calaris n. sp. from C. jaensis and B. kellensis n. sp. from C. camerunensis. The genus Birgiellus differs from the genus Quadriacanthus by the morphology of the ventral bar composed of a single piece (two distinct in Quadriacanthus) and the size of the uncinuli IV, which are not much different from the others (longest in Quadriacanthus). Birgiellus calaris differs from B. mutatus by its ventral anchors longer and larger, the morphology of the ventral bar with a short incision between the two branches, and a long and trapezoid handle, the size of the sclerotised structures of the male and female copulatory organs, the larger thickness of the hook in the male accessory piece, the latter having also a heel. Birgiellus kellensis is closer to B. calaris but can be distinguished by the small size of its dorsal and ventral anchors, its transverse bars, male copulatory organ, and the accessory piece, which also has not a heel but a secondary blade. According to the clause 8.5.2 of the International Zoological Code of Nomenclature (1999) the genus Birgiellus and the species B. mutatus and B. calaris, respectively, replace Claridectes, C. clarisa and C. alacris previously described by Birgi (1987), but whose specimens were not deposited in a museum. All the three taxa described exhibit a strict (oioxenous) host specificity.     

Gyrodactylus quadratidigitus n. sp. (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae), a parasite of the leopard-spotted goby Thorogobius ephippiatus (Lowe) from the south-western coast of the UK

Gyrodactylus quadratidigitus n. sp. (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) is described from the gills, fins and skin of Thorogobius ephippiatus (Lowe) (leopard-spotted goby) from Portland Castle Bay, Dorset, UK. G. quadratidigitus n. sp. most closely resembles the species ofGyrodactyluspreviously described by Geets from Pomatoschistus microps(Krøyer) in the approximate shape and size of the attachment hooks but can be readily distinguished from other species of the genus by the distinctive square shape of the toe region of the marginal hook sickle, the anteriorly positioned cirrus bulb and the unusually short intestinal crura which extend only as far as the level of the testes.     

A new species of Syphacia (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from Calomys laucha (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in an agroecosystem of central Argentina

A new oxyurid nematode Syphacia hodarae n. sp. is described from the cecum and rectum of the cricetid rodent Calomys laucha Fischer, 1814 (Sigmodontinae, Phyllotini), captured in an agroecosystem of central Argentina. The new species is distinguished from other members of the genus mainly by the shape of the cephalic plate, presence of cervical alae in females, absence of lateral alae, and absence of deirids. Some characters are shared with Syphacia carlitosi, a parasite of Akodon azarae from the wetlands in Argentina. However, S. hodarae can be differentiated from this species by the absence of ornamentation on the accessory hook of the gubernaculum, length of spicule and gubernaculum, size of the eggs, and distance to the vulva from the anterior end. This is the first record of a Syphacia species from the tribe Phyllotini in Argentina, and the first time a Syphacia species is reported from C. laucha .     

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.     

A new species of Syphacia (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from Akodon azarae (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in Argentina

Eight species of Syphacia (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) have been reported from South America in rodents of the Sigmodontinae, only 1 of which has been recorded in Argentina. Syphacia (Syphacia) carlitosi n. sp. is described from the ceca of Akodon azarae bibianae and Akodon azarae hunteri (Sigmodontinae: Akodontini) captured in 3 provinces in the northeast region of Argentina. The new species is differentiated principally by the shape of the cephalic plate; distribution of submedian papillae and amphids; presence, extent, and shape of cervical alae in females; absence of lateral alae; absence of deirids; spicular and gubernaculum length; shape and structure of accessory hook of gubernaculum; and distance of mamelons, excretory pore, and vulva from the anterior extremity. This is the second record of Syphacia parasitizing rodents of the tribe Akodontini.     

A new species of Thaumatocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from Dasyatis sabina (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) off the coast of South Carolina

Thaumatocotyle roumillati n. sp. is described from specimens collected in the nasal fossae of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina (Lesueur) from the southeastern coast of the United States, off South Carolina. Thaumatocotyle roumillati is distinguished from congeners by the size and shape of its penis as well as the presence of a spinelike accessory piece associated with the penis.     

海南省蚋属一新种(双翅目：蚋科)

记述采自海南省尖峰蚋属蚋亚属Simulium(Simulium)一新种,乐东蚋Simulium(Simulium)ledongense sp.nov.。新种隶属多叉蚋组Simulium multistriatum-group,与秦氏蚋Simulium qiniCao et al.,1993和鞍阳蚋Simulium dphippiodum Chen and Wen,1999近缘。对其各虫期形态进行描述并与其近缘种比较作分类讨论。模式标本保存于遗阳医学院生物学教研室。