A new genus, Alanlewisia, of the family Caligidae is established to accommodate a sea louse species originally, but tentatively, placed in the genus Lepeophtheirus by Lewis (1967). The type species is Alanlewisia fallolunulus (Lewis, 1967) comb. n., which is redescribed in detail based on new material collected from bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis (Forsskål), caught off New Caledonia in the South Pacific. This species was originally described by Lewis (1967) under the binomen Lepeophtheirus? fallolunulus from the same host species collected in Hawaii. This species was subsequently transferred to the genus Anuretes by Ho and Lin (2000). Lewis was uncertain of the generic placement primarily because of the possession, in the females only, of paired lunule-like structures on the ventral surface of the modified frontal plates. In both sexes the first swimming leg is biramous, with a well-developed endopod bearing 2 long, sparsely-plumose setae, and the third leg has a 2-segmented exopod. This combination of characters serves to differentiate the new genus from existing genera. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis suggests that the new genus represents an early offshoot from the main caligid lineage, basal to the Paralebion-Tuxophorus-Caligus clade identified by Boxshall and Justine (2005).
Cuculisyringophilus crotophaginus gen. n. et sp. n. is described from the guira cuckoo Guira guira (Gmelin) from Paraguay and also was collected from the groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Swainson from Colombia and Mexico. This new genus is closely related to Neoaulobia Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 2000 but is distinguished by the following characters: propodosomal setae sce are situated distinctly anterior to level of setae d1, leg setae vs'II are absent, apodemes I are divergent.
A new lecanicephalidean genus is erected for cestodes previously recognised as "New Genus 12" (Polypocephalidae) in a phylogenetic analysis of the interrelationship of members of this order. Examination of the cestode fauna of the mangrove whipray, Urogymnus granulatus (Macleay) (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) from the Solomon Islands and northern Australia revealed the existence of specimens representing two new species, consistent in morphology with "New Genus 12." Corollapex gen. n. is unique among the 24 valid lecanicephalidean genera in its possession of an apical organ in the form of an external retractable central disk surrounded by eight concave muscular, membrane-bound pads and an internal heterogeneous glandular component. The two new species described herein, Corollapex cairae sp. n. (type species) and Corollapex tingoi sp. n., differ from one another in overall size and number of mature and immature proglottids, and are noted to demonstrate a differential distribution between mature and juvenile host individuals. Additional species diversity in the new genus, beyond C. cairae sp. n., C. tingoi sp. n., and "New Genus 12 n. sp. 1" of Jensen et al. (2016) is suggested. Corollapex gen. n. appears to be restricted to dasyatid hosts in the Indo-West Pacific region., Kaylee S. Herzog, Kirsten Jensen., and Obsahuje bibliografii
A new species of tetraphyllidean cestode in the genus Trilocularia is described from an undescribed shark species, Squalus cf. mitsukurii, off the coast of South Africa. Trilocularia eberti sp. n. is the second known member of its genus, and like its congener, T. gracilis (Olsson, 1866-1867) Olsson, 1869, is extremely hyperapolytic, dropping proglottids from its strobila while they are still very immature. Characteristic of the genus, it possesses a distinctive scolex with triloculated bothridia, but differs conspicuously from its congener in its possession of an anterior loculus that is much larger in width relative to the paired posterior loculi, and also in its possession of an anterior, enlarged region of its free proglottids that is triangular with a slit-like ventral aperture, rather than rounded and cup-like. This anterior region of the free proglottid is used in attachment, and its development is described. For assessment of fecundity, an attempt was made to record all free proglottids of all ages found in both host individuals, and yielded an average estimate of 362 free proglottids being produced per individual worm of T. eberti sp. n. Both Trilocularia species parasitize sharks of the genus Squalus, and given the host specificity typically exhibited by tetraphyllideans and preliminary examinations of other members of this shark genus, it is likely that other Squalus species will be found to host additional new Trilocularia species.
A new annual species, Juncus maroccanus, of the section Tenageia, closely allied to Juncus foliosus Desf., is described from N Morocco. It differs from the latter in having smooth, glossy seeds, capsule shorter than perianth and shortly mucronate. The new species is known from a macrolocality in the Ksar-el-Kebir region, where it grows in non-saline sandy seepage sites. Another, much older specimen was collected in 1835 by W. Schimper in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Syntype specimens of Juncus rhiphaenus Pau et Font Quer were examined and found to be conspecific with Juncus foliosus.
A new genus and species of "libelluloid" dragonfly, Jujusia maizgorda gen. n., sp. n., of the clade Italoansida Bechly, 1996, from the late Paleocene, Maíz Gordo Formation, north-western Argentina, is described. Its phylogenetic relationships within the clade Cavilabiata Bechly, 1996 are discussed.
A design of a newly developed metal pipe-type trap for catching live mole rats is presented. In all field trials the trap was efficient and thus meaningful alternative to other types of live traps. This trap may prove to be useful also to catching the other subterranean mammal species.
Discontinuous respiration in diapausing pupae of Cecropia silkworms was monitored by means of several electronic methods, including recording changes in haemocoelic pressure, monitoring respiratory movements by strain-gauge sensors and nanorespirographic recording of O2 consumption and CO2 output. It appears that, in contrast to previous concepts of stereotypic discontinuous respiration cycles (DGC) driven by accumulation of gaseous CO2 in the body, the new results indicate that CO2 remains dissolved in liquid carbonate buffers during interburst periods. In other words, there is no accumulation of gaseous CO2 within the air filled tracheal space between the bursts. The bursts of CO2 are caused by homeostatically regulated enzymatic hydration by carbonic anhydrase of metabolically produced carbonic acid. The chemically produced gaseous CO2 was exhaled mainly by a bulk outflow through selectively opened or pulsating spiracles. The output of CO2 was enhanced by actively regulated, unidirectional ventilation. The deep depressions in haemocoelic pressure, caused by permanent closure of all spiracular valves for long periods, appeared to be a specific feature of diapausing saturniid pupae. Physiologically, it has circulatory, not respiratory functions. The original definition of spiracular "fluttering" resulted from a misinterpretation of previously unknown extracardiac pulsations in haemocoelic pressure. The coordinated pulsation of the spiracular valves with extracardiac pulsations produce a very efficient, unidirectional ventilation of the whole tracheal system. According to the new results, the discontinuous respiration cycles of diapausing Cecropia pupae can be briefly described as follows: (1) Spiracular valves are kept permanently closed during the periods of deep depressions, they remain closed for some 99% of the time with occasional snap opening (passive inspirations) during prolonged interburst periods and more than 50% closed during the bursts; (2) During the long interburst periods, CO2 is retained in liquid carbonate buffers, while the relatively high (after the burst) or low (toward the next burst) rate of O2 consumption creates an internal vacuum, which is homeostatically compensated for by the snap-opening of one or just a few spiracular valves (passive suction inspirations); (3) The CO2 gas, produced enzymatically by carbonic anhydrase, enters the air filled tracheal system and leaves the body by diffusion, a bulk outflow, or actively regulated unidirectional ventilation ("fluttering" spiracles). The selective advantage of this actively regulated respiratory system for water retention in pupae is discussed.
The unknown oligochaete host in the life-cycle of Hoferellus carassii Achmerov, 1960 was identified as a member of the family Naididae, the genus Nais (most probably Nais elinguis). The aurantiactinomyxon spore found by El-Matbouli et al. ( 1992a) is demonstrated to be the actinosporean stage of Hoferellus carassii. The development of this spore within the naidid host is described by electron microscopy, and the results compared with those of Janiszewska (1955, 1957) and Marqués (1984. 1986) for Actinosporea originally described as a separate group of parasites. Additionally the plasmodial development of H. carassii within the urinary bladder of the goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus Linnaeus, 1758) is described.