Hysterothylacium pseudotumbili n.sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the marine fishes of Visakhapatnam, Bay of Bengal.

Hysterothylacium pseudotumbili n.sp. from the stomach and body cavity of marine fishes. Chrorinemus tol Couvier. Saurida undosquamis (Richardson), Lutianus russelli (Bleeker), Rastrilliger kanagurta (Cuvier) and Saurida pseudotumbili Dutt and Vidyasagar collected from Visakhapatnam (Bay of Bengal) is described and figured. A detailed examination has allowed us to erect a new species of Hysterothylacium to accommodate the worm. It shows remarkable differences from other known species of Hysterothylacium in respect of body measurements, the papillae on the lips arrangement, location of nerve ring and excretory pore, long intestinal caecum, position of vulva, number and arrangement of caudal papillae and size of the spicules. The new species is designated as Hysterothylacium pseudotumbili. Saurida pseudotumbili is the new host record. This is the first report of the genus in this host. Visakhapatnam coast is the new locality record.     

Ascaridoidea: a simple DNA assay for identification of 11 species infecting marine and freshwater fish,mammals, and fish-eating birds

Eleven species belonging to superfamily Ascaridoidea, which infect marine and freshwater fish, mammals, and fish-eating birds, were analyzed using a PCR-RFLP method. The following species were investigated: Anisakis pegreffi, A. physeteris, and A. simplex (parasites of fish and mammals), Contracaecum osculatum, C. radiatum, and C. rudolphi (parasites of mammals and fish-eating birds), Hysterothylacium aduncum (a parasite of fish), Porrocaecum angusticolle, P. crassum, P. depressum, and P. ensicaudatum (parasites of fish-eating birds). PCR-amplified rDNA regions encompassing ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, and ITS2 produced on templates of genomic DNA isolated from all investigated species were digested with TaqI, AluI, BsuRI, and RsaI endonucleases. Restriction patterns showed that endonuclease TaqI is the most useful enzyme for identification of all investigated species. No variations in restriction patterns within each species were detected. Therefore, we propose that the PCR-RFLP assay described in this report may be used for identification of marine and freshwater parasites from superfamily Ascaridoidea.     

Helminths of two anuran species, Atelopus spurrelli (Bufonidae) and Dendrobates histrionicus (Dendrobatidae), from Colombia, South America

Two species of anurans from Colombia, South America, Atelopus spurrelli and Dendrobates histrionicus, were examined for helminths. A. spurrelli was found to harbor three species of Nematoda, adults of Cosmocerca podicipinus and larvae of Physocephalus sp. and Porrocaecum sp. D. histrionicus was found to harbor, in addition to C. podicipinus, Physocephalus sp. and Porrocaecum sp. and cystacanths of three species of Acanthocephala: Centrorhynchus sp., Onicola sp. and Polymorphus sp. A. spurrelli and D. histrionicus represent new host records for these helminths.     

Ascaridoid parasites infecting in the frequently consumed marine fishes in the coastal area of China: A preliminary investigation

Marine fishes represent the important components of the diet in the coastal areas of China and they are also natural hosts of various parasites. However, to date, little is known about the occurrence of ascaridoid parasites in the frequently consumed marine fishes in China. In order to determine the presence of ascaridoid parasites in the frequently consumed marine fishes in the coastal town Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China, 211 fish representing 45 species caught from the South China Sea (off Daya Gulf) were examined. Five species of ascaridoid nematodes at different developmental stages were detected in the marine fishes examined herein, including third-stage larva of Anisakis typica (Diesing, 1860), third and fourth-stage larvae of Hysterothylacium sp. IV-A of Shamsi, Gasser & Beveridge, 2013, adult and third-stage larvae of Hysterothylacium zhoushanense Li, Liu & Zhang, 2014, adults and third-stage larvae of Raphidascaris lophii (Wu, 1949) and adults of Raphidascaris longispicula Li, Liu & Zhang, 2012. The overall prevalence of infection is 18.0%. Of them, Hysterothylacium sp. IV-A with the highest prevalence (17.5%) and intensity (mean = 14.6) of infection was the predominant species. The prevalence and intensity of A. typica were very low (1/211 of marine fish infected with an intensity of one parasite per fish). The morphological and molecular characterization of all nematode species was provided. A cladistic analysis based on ITS sequence was constructed in order to determine the phylogenetic relationships of these ascaridoid parasites obtained herein. The present study provided important information on the occurrence and diagnosis of ascaridoid nematodes in the commercially important marine fishes from the South China Sea. The low level of infection and the species composition of ascaridoid nematodes seem to indicate the presence of low risk of human anisakidosis when local population consumed these marine fishes examined herein.     

Theletrum lamothei sp. nov. (Digenea), parasite of Echidna nocturna from Cuajiniquil, Guanacaste, and other digenes of marine fishes from Costa Rica.

A new species of Theletrum is described from the intestine of two palenose morays, Echidna nocturna, collected in Cuajiniquil, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The new species differs from the type species, T. fustiforme Linton, 1910 by having a subspherical pars prostatica, a subspherical seminal vesicle extending anteriorly to the anterior border of the acetabulum, by the presence of a poorly developed hermaphroditic sac, and by having a larger body size. We also report eight additional species of digeneans parasitizing marine fishes in several localities along the Atlantic and Pacific coast of Costa Rica: Bianium simonei, Didymozoinae (metacercariae), Ectenurus virgulus, Hypocreadium myohelicatum, Lecithochirium microstomum, Pseudolecithaster sp., Stephanostomum casum, and Tergestia laticollis. In addition, we present an updated list of helminth parasites of marine fish from Costa Rica and discuss the importance of including parasites as an integral part of biodiversity inventories.     

Polypocephalus sp. infects the nervous system and increases activity of commercially harvested white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus)

Larval tapeworms (Polypocephalus sp.) reside within the central nervous system of decapod crustaceans. Living within the nervous system would seem to create an excellent opportunity for the parasites to manipulate the behavior of their hosts, so we tested the hypothesis that behavior of white shrimp ( Litopenaeus setiferus ) would be correlated with the level of parasitic infection. We videorecorded the behavior of L. setiferus for 8 hr, then examined the nervous system and digestive glands for parasite infection. Larval Polypocephalus sp. were found in the nerve cord, often in large numbers, but only very rarely in the digestive gland, which was typically infected by the larval stage of the nematode, Hysterothylacium sp. There were significantly more Polypocephalus larvae in the abdominal and thoracic ganglia than the subesophageal ganglia and brain. Walking, but not swimming, was significantly and positively related to the number of Polypocephalus sp. lodged in nervous tissue, as well as shrimp carapace length. Polypocephalus sp. is 1 of only a few parasites residing inside the host nervous system and it may, therefore, be suitable for investigating mechanisms of parasite manipulation of invertebrate host behavior.     

Orectolobicestus n. g. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea), with the description of five new species and the transfer of Phyllobothrium chiloscyllii to the new genus

ORECTOLOBICESTUS N. G. (CESTODA: Tetraphyllidea) is erected for six cestode species parasitising bamboo sharks (Orectolobiformes: Chiloscyllium). Members of this genus differ from all other phyllobothriid genera in possessing modified maisiform spinitriches on their distal bothridial surfaces. In addition, they are easily recognised in that they share the following unique combination of characters: their vitelline fields are interrupted by the ovary, their necks are scutellate, and their bothridia bear an apical sucker and marginal loculi. Five new species of Orectolobicestus are described, including O. tyleri n. sp. from Chiloscyllium punctatum off Borneo, O. lorettae n. sp. from C. cf. punctatum off Australia, O. mukahensis n. sp. and O. kelleyae n. sp. from C. indicum off Borneo, and O. randyi n.sp. from C. hasselti also from off Borneo. In addition, Phyllobothrium chiloscyllii Subhapradha, 1955 is transferred to the new genus. O. chiloscyllii (Subhapradha, 1955) n. comb. is readily distinguished from all five new species in its greater total length. In addition to a number of proglottid features, O. kelleyae n. sp. and O. randyi n. sp. clearly differ from the other three new species in their possession of trifid, rather than fully serrate, spinitriches on their proximal bothridial surfaces. The latter two species conspicuously differ from one another in total number of proglottids (11-21 vs 27-38). O. tyleri n. sp. generally has fewer proglottids than O. lorrettae n. sp. (7-17 vs 13-23) and, like O. mukahensis n. sp., possesses scutes that are spathate rather than elongate. O. tyleri n. sp. is readily distinguished from O. mukahensis n. sp. in its possession of fewer proglottids (7-17 vs. 19-29). The five new species of Orectolobicestus share derived bothridial microthrix features with Phyllobothrium squali Yamaguti, 1952, Thysanocephalum sp., Orygmatobothrium sp., Ruhnkecestus Caira & Durkin, 2006 and species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994. Among these taxa, Orectolobicestus most closely resembles Paraorygmatobothrium and Ruhnkecestus in its vitelline fields being interrupted by the ovary and the possession of a scutellate neck.     

Selection intensities and consanguineity in the Yadava and Vadabalija of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The opportunity for intensity of selection is studied in two backward caste groups with different occupations, namely Yadava (pastoral) and Vadabalija (fishing) of Bheemunipatnam Taluk of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh. The amount of selection intensity is found to be higher in Vadabalija (0.8583) than Yadava (0.5827). The contribution of mortality to the total index of selection is greater in Vadabalija (0.6095) than in Yadava (0.3326). When consanguineity is considered, the fertility components of selection intensity (0.1885) are lower in the consanguineous group of Yadava than in the nonconsanguineous group (0.2845), whereas in Vadabalija they are higher in the consanguineous group (0.5261) than in the nonconsanguineous group (0.2223).     

Petrosamine, a potent anticholinesterase pyridoacridine alkaloid from a Thai marine sponge Petrosia n. sp

Two pyridoacridine alkaloids, including a known petrosamine and a new 2-bromoamphimedine were isolated from a Thai marine sponge Petrosia n. sp. The alkaloids were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, MS, and IR spectroscopy. Only petrosamine showed strong acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity approximately six times higher than that of the reference galanthamine. A computational docking study of petrosamine with the enzyme from the electric eel Torpedo californica (TcAChE) showed the major contribution to the petrosamine-TcAChE interaction to be arising from the quaternary ammonium group of petrosamine.     

Hysterothylacium patagonense n. sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from freshwater fishes in Patagonia,Argentina, with a key to the species of Hysterothylacium in American freshwater fishes

A new anisakid nematode, Hysterothylacium patagonense n. sp., is described from the intestine of the temperate bass Percichthys trucha (Cuvier & Valenciennes), a freshwater fish from Lake Aluminé, Patagonia, Argentina. It is characterised mainly by the absence of lateral alae, the length ratio of the caecum and ventricular appendix (1:0.9–1.8), the length of the spicules (0.952–1.292 mm) and the presence of minute spines on the tip of the tail. In the same locality and in Lake Huechulafquen, advanced third-stage and fourth-stage larvae of this parasite were also recorded from the digestive tract of the introduced salmonids, Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchell), Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) and Salmo trutta L. This is the second Hysterothylacium species described from freshwater fishes in South America. A key to Hysterothylacium species parasitising American freshwater fishes is provided.     

Morphological and molecular diagnosis of anisakid nematode larvae from cutlassfish (Trichiurus lepturus) off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Anisakid nematode larvae from Trichiurus lepturus off coast of Rio de Janeiro were studied using light, laser confocal and scanning electron microscopy, in addition to a molecular approach. Mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 2 (mtDNA cox-2), partial 28S (LSU) and internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1, 5.8S, ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and sequenced to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between the nematode taxa. The morphological and genetic profiles confirmed that, of the 1,030 larvae collected from the 64 fish examined, 398 were analysed, of which 361 were Hysterothylacium sp. and 37 were Anisakis typica. Larvae of Hysterothylacium sp. were not identified to the species level due to the absence of similar sequences for adult parasites; however, the ITS sequence clustered in the phylogenetic tree with sequences of H. deardorffoverstreetorum, whereas an mtDNA cox-2 and LSU concatenated phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of two clades, both of them under the same name as the larval H. deardorffoverstreetorum. Data on the occurrence of parasites during the winter and summer months were compared using the t-test. The greatest prevalence and intensity of infection were recorded for larval Hysterothylacium, with a prevalence of 51.56% and an intensity of up to 55 parasites per fish. The larval Anisakis exhibit a higher abundance and intensity of infection in the winter months, and those of Hysterothylacium during the summer. However, the t-test indicated no significant differences between the abundance and intensity of infection recorded during the months of collection for either of these larval nematodes. All sequences generated in this study were deposited in GenBank.     

Descriptions of Tachygonetria africana n. sp. and T. pretoriensis n. sp. and redescriptions of two other species of Tachygonetria Wedl, 1862 (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae), all parasitic in Geochelone pardalis (Testudinidae) from South Africa

Two new species of Tachygonetria, T. africana n. sp. and T. pretoriensis n. sp. are described. Both are parasites of Geochelone pardalis (Bell) from South Africa. In addition, two subspecies, T. longicollis fitzsimmonsi Petter, 1966 and T. macrolaimus macrolaimus (Linstow, 1899), also parasites of Geochelone pardalis (from Pretoria Zoo, South Africa), are redescribed and new information on their morphology is presented. On the basis of their morphology, these subspecies are raised to full specific level.     

Biological tags for stock separation in Pacific herring Clupea harengus pallasi in California.

A survey of the parasites of Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) off northern California identified 1 species of Acanthocephala, 1 species of Cestoda, 2 species of Copepoda, 1 species and 1 family of Digenea, 3 species of Nematoda, and 3 species of Protozoa. From this survey, Lacistorhynchus dollfusi (Cestoda), Parahemiurus merus (Digenea), and Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum sp., Hysterothylacium sp. (Nematoda) were selected as potential tags. Herring were collected in Tomales, San Francisco, and Monterey bays for the following 9 yr and examined for these select parasites. The results suggest that these parasites can be used to distinguish the spawning stocks of San Francisco and Tomales bays. The distribution of the definitive hosts of the respective parasites suggests that the Tomales Bay fish are offshore during the nonbreeding season and the San Francisco Bay fish onshore. The similarity in parasitism between San Francisco Bay and the nonspawning population in Monterey Bay suggests that these 2 populations represent a single stock.     

An annotated list of the marine algae of Visakhapatnam (India)

In all, 80 species and varieties of marine algae are recorded from the intertidal region of the Visakhapatnam coast. Of these, 18 are new records for India and seven are first records for the east coast. Information on the localities of their occurrence and notes on the morphology and other features of taxonomic interest are given in the annotations.     

Helminth parasites of the blue-footed booby on Isla Isabel, México

A survey of the helminth fauna of the blue-footed booby, Sula nebouxii, on Isla Isabel, off the Pacific coast of México, is presented. Eight parasite species were found: 4 digeneans (Galactosomum puffini , Mesostephanus microbursa, Opisthometra planicollis, and Renicola thapari), 3 nematodes (Contracaecum sp., Porrocaecum sp., and Tetrameres sp.), and 1 cestode (Tetrabothrius sp). All these species are reported for the first time in the blue-footed booby, and they represent 8 new locality records as well. Species accumulation curves suggest these 8 parasite species comprise the total helminth fauna of this population of boobies. The most frequent and abundant parasite was R. thapari, inhabiting the kidney of its host. In male boobies, a significant negative correlation was found between abundance of R. thapari and host body condition.