Australotaenia de Chambrier et de Chambrier, 2010 has been proposed to accommodate two species of proteocephalidean cestodes from hylid frogs (Litoria spp.) in Australia. Recently, apparently congeneric cestode, for which the name A. bunthangi sp. n. is proposed, was found in the homalopsid snake Enhydris enhydris (Schneider) (Serpentes: Homalopsidae) from South-East Asia (Cambodia). This finding indicates a much wider range of definitive hosts of species of this genus, i.e. amphibians and reptiles, which is exceptional among proteocephalideans. Postcyclic parasitism, i.e. predation of the definitive host infected with sexually mature parasites, cannot be excluded but does not seem to be probable. In addition, the occurrence of A. bunthangi in the former Indochina extends the range of the geographical distribution of the genus to another zoogeographical region. The new species differs from both species of Australotaenia in the relative size of an apical organ, the diameter of which equals to that of suckers (versus much smaller in the remaining species, in which the width of the apical organ represents less than 2/3 of the diameter of the suckers), much smaller scolex and suckers (width 150 μm and diameter of suckers 50-55 μm versus 245-420 μm and 100-140 μm, respectively), and longer body (224 mm versus 57-121 mm). In addition, A. bunthangi differs from A. hylae (Johnston, 1912) (type-species of the genus) by the number of testes (46-64 versus 74-106 in A. hylae) and by the ovary width/proglottis width ratio (55-65% versus 68-71% in A. hylae). Australotaenia bunthangi differs from A. grobeli de Chambrier et de Chambrier, 2010 by relative size of the cirrus-sac (its length represents 18-24% of the width of the proglottis versus 27-33% in A. grobeli) and by the diameter of the embryophore (25-27 µm versus 18-23 µm in A. grobeli).
Bothriocephalidean tapeworms parasitic in the blackfish, Centrolophus niger (Gmelin) (Perciformes: Centrolophidae), are redescribed on the basis of the evaluation of freshly collected specimens and museum material. This evaluation enabled us to supplement species diagnoses by new morphological characters of potential use for phylogenetic analyses, including the data from scanning electron microscopical observations, and to provide a key to identification of the following four species occurring in this fish: Amphicotyle heteropleura (Diesing, 1850); Milanella familiaris Kuchta et Scholz, 2008 (both Triaenophoridae); Bothriocotyle solinosomum Ariola, 1900; and Echinophallus wageneri (Monticelli, 1890) (both Echinophallidae). Large spiniform microtriches were observed on the surface of the posterodorsal margin of segments of B. solinosomum, E. wageneri and M. familiaris. The invalidity of Atelemerus Guiart, 1935, first proposed by Bray et al. (1994), is supported by the present data and its type species, A. acanthodes Guiart, 1935, is newly synonymised with E. wageneri.
The following caryophyllidean tapeworms were found in freshwater fishes from Japan (species reported from Japan for the first time marked with an asterisk): family Caryophyllaeidae: Paracaryophyllaeus gotoi (Motomura, 1927) from Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor); Archigetes sieboldi Leuckart, 1878 from Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck et Schlegel) and Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus Mori (new hosts); family Lytocestidae: *Caryophyllaeides ergensi Scholz, 1990 from Tribolodon hakuensis (Günther), T. ezoe Okada et Ikeda, Hemibarbus barbus (Temminck et Schlegel) and Chaenogobius sp. (new hosts); Khawia japonensis (Yamaguti, 1934) from Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus; K. sinensis Hsü, 1935 from H. barbus (new host) and C. carpio; *K. parva (Zmeev, 1936) from Carassius auratus langsdorfii Valenciennes in Cuvier et Valenciennes and Carassius sp. (new hosts); and *Atractolytocestus sagittatus (Kulakovskaya et Akhmerov, 1962) from C. carpio; family Capingentidae: *Breviscolex orientalis Kulakovskaya, 1962 from H. barbus (new host); and Caryophyllidea gen. sp. (probably Breviscolex orientalis) from C. carpio. The validity of C. ergensi, originally described from Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis from Mongolia, is confirmed on the basis of an evaluation of extensive material from Japan. Atractolytocestus sagittatus (syn. Markevitschia sagittata) is tentatively considered a valid species, differing from the only congener, A. huronensis Anthony, 1958, in its considerably greater number of testes.
A comparative study of the scolex hook morphology of five species of tapeworms of the genus Triaenophorus Rudolphi, 1793 (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea), parasites of pikes (Esox lucius L. and E. reichertii Dybowski) in the Palaearctic Region, was carried out. Measurements of scolex hooks of 81 plerocercoids and 492 adults from different hosts and regions were compared using basic statistics and forward stepwise linear discriminant analysis. The shape of the scolex and that of tridental hooks were found to be suitable only for differentiation of the taxa with a similar shape of hooks, i.e. Triaenophorus nodulosus (Pallas, 1781) from T. amurensis Kuperman, 1968, and T. crassus Forel, 1868 from T. meridionalis Kuperman, 1968 and T. orientalis Kuperman, 1968, respectively. In contrast, discriminant analysis did not enable reliable separation of specimens of individual taxa of these two morphological groups due to high intraspecific variability and overlaps between species. This was reflected in low classification efficiencies (average 83%) of all species of the T. crassus group, whereas all T. amurensis specimens were misidentified as T. nodulosus. The new data also considerably enlarge (up to twofold) the size range of the species described by Kuperman in 1968, which invalidates suitability of the most important discriminant characteristic, the width of the basal plate, for delimitation of Triaenophorus species. Based on the present data, all Kuperman's taxa are considered to represent only distinct geographical populations of T. nodulosus and T. crassus. As a result, T. amurensis is synonymized with T. nodulosus, whereas T. orientalis is considered to be a synonym of T. crassus. Previous synonymisation of T. meridionalis with T. crassus, first proposed by Dubinina (1987), is also accepted.
Specimens of three little-known species of Rhabdochona (Nematoda: Rhabdochonidae) were collected during occasional examinations of some freshwater fishes in India: R. (Rhabdochona) hellichi turkestanica (Skryabin, 1917) in Schizothorax sp. (Cyprinidae, Cypriniformes) from the Lodhomakhola and Rangit Rivers, West Bengal and Sikkim, respectively; R. (R.) hospeti Thapar, 1950 in Tor sp. (Cyprinidae) from the Rangit River; and R. (Globochona) mazeedi Prasad et Sahay, 1965 in Clupisoma garua (Hamilton) (Schilbeidae, Siluriformes) from the Farakka Dam Lake, West Bengal. Their detailed light and electron microscopical studies revealed some taxonomically important, previously not observed features and made possible their redescription. Fourth-stage larvae of R. hospeti are described for the first time. Rhabdochona hellichi turkestanica (syns. R. denudata filamentosa Bykhovskaya-Pavlovskaya, 1936, R. kashmirensis Thapar, 1950, R. schizothoracis Siddiqi et Khattak, 1984) is proposed as a subspecies, differing from the nominotypical subspecies R. hellichi hellichi (Šrámek, 1901) mainly in the shape of the distal end of the left spicule, molecular data and geographical distribution. Rhabdochona moraveci Katoch et Kalia, 1991 (a homonym to R. moraveci Duggal et Kaur, 1987) is renamed R. indica nom. n. The following six species are considered new junior synonyms of R. hospeti: Comephronema [sic] mackiewiczi Malhotra et Rautela, 1984, Rhabdochona moraveci Duggal et Kaur, 1987, R. bifidum Kakar et Bilqees, 2007, R. uvaginus Kakar et Bilqees, 2007, R. bolani Kakar, Bilqees et Ahmad, 2008 and R. cephalodiverticula Kakar, Bilqees et Ahmad, 2008. Rhabdochona edentati Paul et Majumdar, 1994 is considered a species incertae sedis.
Monozoic cestodes of the genus Khawia Hsü, 1935 (Caryophyllidea: Lytocestidae), parasites of cyprinid fish in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, are revised on the basis of taxonomic evaluation of extensive materials, including recently collected specimens of most species. This evaluation has made it possible to critically assess the validity of all 17 nominal species of the genus and to provide redescriptions of the following seven species considered to be valid: Khawia sinensis Hsü, 1935 (type species); K. armeniaca (Cholodkovsky, 1915); K. baltica Szidat, 1941; K. japonensis (Yamaguti, 1934); K. parva (Zmeev, 1936); K. rossittensis (Szidat, 1937); and K. saurogobii Xi, Oros, Wang, Wu, Gao et Nie, 2009. Several new synonyms are proposed: Khawia barbi Rahemo et Mohammad, 2002 and K. lutei Al-Kalak et Rahemo, 2003 are synonymized with K. armeniaca; K. coregoni Kritscher, 1990 with Caryophyllaeus laticeps (Pallas, 1781) (family Caryophyllaeidae); K. cyprini Li, 1964 and K. iowensis Calentine et Ulmer, 1961 with K. japonensis; K. dubia (Szidat, 1937) (syn. Bothrioscolex dubius Szidat, 1937) with K. rossittensis; and Tsengia neimongkuensis Li, 1964 and T. xiamenensis Liu, Yang et Lin, 1995 with K. sinensis. Khawia prussica (Szidat, 1937) (syn. Bothrioscolex prussicus Szidat, 1937) is considered to be species incertae sedis, but its morphology indicates it may belong to Caryophyllaeus Gmelin, 1790 (Caryophyllaeidae). The molecular analysis of all seven valid species, based on comparison of sequences of two nuclear ribosomal and two mitochondrial genes, has shown that the species form three major groups clustered according to their fish hosts. Five species from common and crucian carp and goldfish were grouped together, whereas K. armeniaca from barbels (Barbinae) and K. baltica from tench (Tinca) formed separate clades. In contrast, geographical distribution does not seem to play a crucial role in grouping of individual taxa. A phylogenetic tree based on morphological characters was incongruent with that inferred from molecular data, which indicates that some morphological traits may be homoplastic. A key to identification of all species of Khawia based on morphological characteristics is provided.
A new genus, Ritacestus, is proposed to accommodate Ritacestus ritaii (Verma, 1926) comb. n. (syn. Proteocephalus ritaii), a parasite of the catfish Rita rita (Hamilton) in India. The new genus, which is placed in the Gangesiinae, is characterized by (i) a small, subspherical scolex formed by four large lobes separated from one another by longitudinal grooves, with a large, widely oval to pyriform rostellum-like apical organ, larger than suckers and possessing an apical hemispherical depression; (ii) paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles (most follicles are situated medullary); (iii) ventral and dorsal bands of vitelline follicles usually uninterrupted ventral to terminal genitalia and reaching to the posterior margin of proglottides; (iv) the vagina always anterior to the cirrus-sac; (v) a large size of the body (length up to 51 cm); and (vi) development of the uterus of type 2. In its morphology, especially shape of the scolex and apical organ, and paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles, Ritacestus resembles Postgangesia Akhmerov, 1969, but differs in the presence of a genital atrium (both genital pores of Postgangesia are separate), the anterior position of the vagina (almost always posterior in the latter genus), position of vitelline follicles in cross sections (dorsal and ventral bands in Ritacestus versus only a lateral band in the latter genus), and dorsal excretory canals indistinguishable in mature and gravid proglottides of R. ritaii (well developed in Postgangesia spp.). The type and only species of the genus, R. ritaii, is redescribed on the basis of new material from the type host from the Ganges River basin in India and its neotype is designated.
Tapeworms of the order Spathebothriidea Wardle et McLeod, 1952 (Cestoda) are reviewed. Molecular data made it possible to assess, for the first time, the phylogenetic relationships of all genera and to confirm the validity of Bothrimonus Duvernoy, 1842, Diplocotyle Krabbe, 1874 and Didymobothrium Nybelin, 1922. A survey of all species considered to be valid is provided together with new data on egg and scolex morphology and surface ultrastructure (i.e. microtriches). The peculiar morphology of the members of this group, which is today represented by five effectively monotypic genera whose host associations and geographical distribution show little commonality, indicate that it is a relictual group that was once diverse and widespread. The order potentially represents the earliest branch of true tapeworms (i.e. Eucestoda) among extant forms.
The erythrinid fish Hoplias malabaricus in Paraguay harbour two species of proteocephalid cestodes, Proteocephalus regoi sp. n. and Nomimoscolex matogrossensis Rego et Pavanelli, 1990. The former species differs from most South American members of Proteocephalus from fishes by: 1) presence of a small apical organ, 2) distribution of vitellaria, which do not reach to posterior margin of segment and 3) posterior position of vagina. Nomimoscolex matogrossensis is redescribed on the basis of type and recent material, with emphasis given to the morphology of genital organs and scolex, which possesses an apical organ. Both species possess a dense network of osmoregulatory canals in the postacetabular region of both scolex and neck. Proteocephalus regoi sp. n. is the first representative of the subfamily Proteocephalinae parasitizing erythrinid fish.
Parasitological examination of freshwater fishes of the Phongolo River in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa resulted in the discovery and morphological and molecular characterisation of a new species of Wenyonia Woodland, 1923 (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea). The new species from the plain squeaker, Synodontis zambezensis Peters (Siluriformes: Mochokidae), is morphologically most similar to Wenyonia acuminata Woodland, 1923, a species reported from three species of Synodontis in north-eastern, western and central Africa (Sudan, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Both these species are markedly different from congeners by having a nematoform body and a digitiform scolex. Wenyonia gracilis sp. n. differs from W. acuminata in its general body size, length and width of main body regions (testicular and uterine regions), a posterior extension of the testes into the uterine region, numerous postovarian vitelline follicles filling the entire medulla, eggs c. 1/3 larger in size, and a scolex with an apical introvert but devoid of longitudinal furrows and a well-defined base. Wenyonia gracilis is the seventh species in the genus and the first autochthonous caryophyllidean ever reported and described from southern Africa (south of the Zambezi River)., Bjoern C. Schaeffner, Divan van Rooyen, Ruan Gerber, Tomáš Scholz, Nico J. Smit., and Obsahuje bibliografii