Actinosporeans (Myxozoa) from marine oligochaetes of the Great Barrier Reef

Four species of actinosporeans are described from marine oligochaetes (all Tubificidae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. They developed in the coelom of the oligochaete and produced spores in groups of eight in the pansporocysts. The new genus Endocapsa is proposed within the family Sphaeractinomyxidae Janiszewska, 1957 on the basis that mature spores have small valve cell processes and non-protruding polar capsules. The type-species, Endocapsa rosulata n. sp., has three valve cell processes, which resemble a rosette, and submerged polar capsules. It infected Heterodrilus cf. keenani from Heron Island and morphologically similar parasites occurred in Thalassodrilides cf. gurwitschi and Heronidrilus sp. from Lizard Island. E. stepheni n. sp. has asymmetrical valve cell processes and submerged polar capsules. It was found in H. cf. keenani and H. queenslandicus from Heron Island. Sphaeractinomyxon leptocapsula n. sp. has thin widely spaced polar capsules and is described from Heronidrilus sp. from Lizard Island. S. ersei Hallett, O'Donoghue & Lester, 1998 infected Tubificidae gen. sp. from Heron Island and S. cf. ersei occurred in Bathydrilus sp., Thalassodrilides cf. gurwitschi and Limnodriloides lateroporus from Lizard Island.     

New species of myxosporean (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) parasites of Ceratomyxa from fishes of Peter the Great Bay (Japan Sea)

Four new species of Ceratomyxa were found during parasitological studies of fish caught in shallow areas of Peter the Great Bay, Russia. Two of them (C. aspera n. sp. and C. durusa n. sp.) were found in the gall bladders of the flounders Limanda aspera and L. herzensteini. The third species (C. azonusi n. sp.) infected the gall bladder of the greenling Pleurogrammus azonus, and the fourth (C. lianoides n. sp.) was found in the gall bladder of Stichaeus grigorjewi. Ceratomyxa spp. have not been previously described from P. azonus or S. grigorjewi.     

Two New Genera of Marine Tubificidae (Oligochaeta) from Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Macquaridriloides gen.n. is established for M. heronae from Heron Reef in Queensland, Australia. The species is characterized principally by its lack of spermathecae, and its elaborate male efferent ducts, each of which consists of (1) a ciliated vas deferens, (2) a ciliated and muscular atrium with diffuse prostates, and (3) a stout muscular, non-ciliar ejaculatory duct opening into a large copulatory sac surrounded by posterior prostates. The genus appears closely related to Macquaridrilus Jamieson, 1968, the habitat and zoogeography of which are briefly discussed. Heronidrilus gen.n. is established for H. fastigatus sp.n. and H. bihamis sp.n. both from Heron Reef. This genus is closely related to Macquaridriloides , but the two species differ from M. heronae in that they possess spermathecae and lack ejaculatory ducts.     

Phylogenetic relationships amongst Chloromyxum Mingazzini, 1890 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea), and the description of six novel species from Australian elasmobranchs

Six novel species of Chloromyxum Mingazzini, 1890 are described using a whole evidence approach combining morphometric and molecular data, together with features of their biology. Elasmobranchs were collected in Australian waters, from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, off Lizard and Heron Islands; from Moreton Bay, southeast Queensland; off Hobart, Tasmania; and from the Tamar River, Launceston, Tasmania. The novel species proposed here are: Chloromyxum hemiscyllii n.sp. from Hemiscyllium ocellatum; Chloromyxum kuhlii n.sp. from Neotrygon kuhlii; Chloromyxum lesteri n.sp. from Cephaloscyllium laticeps; Chloromyxum mingazzinii n.sp. from Pristiophorus nudipinnis; Chloromyxum myliobati n.sp. from Myliobatis australis; and Chloromyxum squali n.sp. from Squalus acanthias. A seventh species from Squalus acanthias is also reported but due to limited material is not formally described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genus Chloromyxum is polyphyletic, and species from elasmobranchs form a well-supported sister clade, with the type species Chloromyxum leydigi, to all other congeneric species clustering within the freshwater myxosporean clade. Morphological analysis showed that elasmobranch-infecting species are predominantly pyriform shaped, have clearly thickened spore apex and possess caudal filaments, compared to other Chloromyxum species which are generally spherical or subspherical, and lack caudal filaments. These morphological and phylogenetic data provide further support for the erection of new genera, but we conservatively consider the species described in this study and other elasmobranch-infecting Chloromyxum species as Chloromyxum sensu strictu, whilst the freshwater teleost infecting and amphibian infecting species we will assign as Chloromyxum sensu lato, until more comprehensive data are available.     

New species of myxosporidia (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) of fish from the northwestern Sea of Japan

Three new species of mixosporidia of the genera, Myxidium and Myxoproteus, from the gall bladder and urinary bladder of fishes from Japan Sea: Myxidium licodae sp. n., M. rarum sp. n., and Myxoproteus ovale sp. n.     

Zoogonidae (Digenea) from southern Great Barrier Reef fishes with a description of Steganoderma (Lecithostaphylus) gibsoni n. sp.

Two species of the Zoogonidae are recorded from Heron Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Steganoderma (Lecithostaphylus) gibsoni n. sp. is described from the intestine of Abudefduf whitleyi (Pomacentridae). The new species is distinguished by the combination of the following: pedunculate ventral sucker, caeca extending well past testes, presence of two-chambered internal seminal vesicle, vitelline follicles extending only to anterior margin of testes, and testes close to ventral sucker. Zoogonus pagrosomi Yamaguti, 1939 is recorded from Lethrinus atkinsoni (Lethrinidae). This species has been recorded previously only from a sparid from Japan. A new combination, Steganoderma (Lecithostaphylus) fugus (Zhang, Qiu & Li, 1986), is made.     

Endosymbiotic Umagillids (Turbellaria) from Holothurians of the Great Barrier Reef

Seven new species of umagillid turbellarians from the intestine of aspidochirote holothurians of the Great Barrier Reef are described: Cleistogamia heronensis sp.n., C. longicirrus sp.n., C. pulchra sp.n., C. pallii sp.n., C. pyriformis sp.n. and Wahlia stichopi sp.n. as well as Paranotothrix queenslandensis gen.n. sp.n. The new genus is recognized as distinct from Notothrix Hickman, 1955 because the female system lacks a bursal valve, a significant characteristic within the Umagillidae. Examination of this and other characteristics of the family reveal that the division of the family by Stunkard & Corliss in 1950 into the sub-families Collastominae Wahl, 1910, Bicladinae Stunkard & Corliss, 1950 and Umagillinae Wahl, 1910 is supported; further, within the Umagillinae, four subgroups may be recognized: within holothurians are ( i ) the Cleistogamia group with a secondary uterus, within this group Ozametra elegans and O. striata are placed in Seritia gen.n. differing from Ozametra by the presence of both a bursal valve and a cuticular stylet, ( ii ) the Anoplodium group with a single ovary and a muscular (not cuticular) male intromittent organ and ( iii ) the Umagilla group in which Monticellina longitubu becomes a junior synonym of U. forskalensis; within echinoids ( iv ) the Syndesmis group in which Syndisyrinx is recognized a valid genus for those worms with a bursal valve and Syndesmis for those lacking this structure. Marcusella is suppressed. A visual key based upon presumed primitive and derived states is given as is a full host check list of the Umagillidae.     

Reproduction and distribution of two species of Goniastrea (Scleractinia) from the Great Barrier Reef province

The reproductive biology of Goniastrea aspera at Magnetic Island was compared with that of a very similar sympatric species, G. favulus as reported by Kojis and Quinn at Heron Island. The development of gametes was similar in both species, but there was no evidence for an adolescent protandrous period of development in G. aspera such as that recorded for G. favulus at Heron Island. Other reproductive differences between the two species were found in egg size and the mode of spawning. The eggs of G. aspera are smaller and more numerous than those of G. favulus. Goniastrea aspera expelled buoyant packets of eggs and sperm, while G. favulus had sticky sinking eggs which were released separately from the sperm. The spatial pattern of the two species was examined on the reef flat at Magnetic Island to determine whether the observed differences in spawning behaviour and egg buoyancy might have an effect on egg retention and the distribution of adult colonies. The results of this comparison failed to detect any difference in the degree of aggregation of the two species. This is not the result which would be expected if sticky sinking eggs helped retain developing larvae in the vicinity of the adult. These results, together with evidence from a wide range of coelenterates and observations on the larvae of G. aspera point to post spawning larval behaviour as the most likely factor in determining where these species will settle.     

Synopsis of the species of Chloromyxum Mingazinni, 1890 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Chloromyxidae)

A synopsis of the species of Chloromyxum Mingazinni, 1890 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Chloromyxidae) is presented, including 140 nominal species. For each species the most relevant morphological and morphometric characteristics are indicated. Included are data on the site of infection within the host, the original host and the host locality, plus a full bibliography of the original records for these species. A diagrammatic illustration of a spore of each species is also provided.     

Synopsis of the species of Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Bivalvulida)

A synopsis of the species of Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Myxobolidae) is presented. It includes a total of 108 nominal species. For each species, the most relevant morphological and morphometric characteristics are provided, together with data on the type-host and locality, the site of infection within the host and the original references.     

A new intertidal beetle (Coleoptera: Limnichidae) from the Great Barrier Reef

A new genus is erected for a minute beetle found in the intertidal zone on Heron Island, the adult and larva of which are described. The relationships of the genus are discussed, and it is placed in the family Limnichidae as the sole representative of a new subfamily.     

Synopsis of the species of Kudoa Meglitsch, 1947 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Multivalvulida)

A synopsis of the species of Kudoa Meglitsch, 1947 (Myxozoa, Myxosporea, Multivalvulida) is presented, including 95 nominal species. For each species the most relevant morphological and morphometric features are indicated in tabulated format. Included are data on the site of infection within the host, the type-host and type-locality, plus a full bibliography of the original records for these species. Molecular data (GenBank accession numbers) are also provided whenever possible.     

Three new species of Myxosporidia (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) parasites of Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809) (Citharinidae) in Chad (Central Africa)

The study of Citharinus citharus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1809) (Teleost, Citharinidae) captured in the Chari river in Chad revealed the presence of three new myxosporidian which are described in the present paper: Thelohanellus taguii sp. nov., a systematic parasite; Myxobolus mbailaoi sp. nov., which affects operculum, skin and intestine, Myxobolus charii sp. nov., a parasite of the skin.     

Myxosporea (Protozoa: Myxozoa) of freshwater fishes in Africa: keys to genera and species

In Africa, about a hundred species of Myxosporea are known to infest fishes in various countries. Species of nine genera have been described in freshwater fishes: Myxidium, Sphaerospora, Myxobilatus, Myxobolus, Thelohanellus, Unicauda, Henneguya, Chloromyxum and Kudoa. In the present note, we propose a key to the species infecting freshwater fishes. A systematic revision of some species is given. A list of different species, their hosts and their geographical distribution are also presented.     

Reproductive biology of three sponge species of the genus Xestospongia (Porifera: Demospongiae: Petrosida) from the Great Barrier Reef

The reproductive development of three species of the Petrosida, Xestospongia bergquistia, X. exigua, and X. testudinaria, was monitored for four years on a fringing reef at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. All three species were oviparous and female reproductive activity began prior to males becoming active. X. bergquistia and X. testudinaria were gonochoric and broadcast eggs in spawning events that were synchronous within species. Egg development occurred over more than five months in X. bergquistia and X. testudinaria and two months in X. exigua. Spawning was during periods of warm temperature and occurred in October or November for X. bergquistia and X. testudinaria, and January or February for X. exigua. Lunar phase was implicated in timing of spawning of X. testudinaria. Diel timing of spawning in X. testudinaria and X. bergquistia was consistently a morning event.     

碘泡科(粘体门:粘孢子纲:双壳目)动物的系统分类学研究

粘孢子虫是一类拥有广泛寄主的后生动物寄生虫,主要寄生于鱼类,并可引发病害,从而受到人们广泛的关注。但其基础研究还不够深入,在分类地位和分类系统方面存在着许多争议。而碘泡科是粘孢子虫最大的一科,其在属级和种级阶元的归属问题上也一直备受争议。此类动物结构简单、种类繁多,依据传统的形态特征进行的分类并不十分准确,借助更为先进的显微技术和以及分子生物学、免疫学等方法的应用,其分类学研究取得了巨大进步。本文从碘泡科的种、属级阶元分类和方法学两个方面对国内外碘泡科物种系统分类学研究的现状进行了综述,对碘泡科各属的归类问题进行了梳理,并对一些容易混淆的种类进行了厘清,同时总结了应用于碘泡虫系统分类研究中的几种方法,以期为该科动物的系统分类和鱼类粘孢子虫病的防治提供基础资料。     

Synopsis of the species of the genus Myxobilatus Davis, 1944 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Myxobilatidae)

A synopsis of the species of Myxobilatus Davis, 1944 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Myxobilatidae) is presented. Thirty-nine nominal species are included. The major characteristics and an illustration are given for each species based on the original records.     

Some nemerteans (Nemertea) from Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Three species of marine nemerteans described and illustrated from Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, include one new genus and two new species: these are the monostiliferous hoplonemerteans Thallasionemertes leucocephala gen. et sp. nov. and Correanemertes polyophthalma sp. nov. A new colour variety of the heteronemertean Micrura callima is also reported, this species previously only being known from Rottnest Island, Western Australia. A key for the field identification of the marine nemerteans recorded from coastal Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is provided.