Morphological examination of novel specimens of paruterinid cestodes from passerine birds from Brazil and Chile and of museum specimens from Paraguay revealed two new species: Anonchotaenia prolixa sp. n. from Elaenia albiceps chilensis Hellmayr from Chile, and Anonchotaenia vaslata sp. n. from Tyrannus melancholicus (Vieillot) (type host) and Myiodynastes maculatus (Statius Muller) from Paraguay. The generic diagnosis of Anonchotaenia Conn, 1900 is amended, prompted by the presence of the armed cirrus and the elongated cirrus sac of A. prolixa. Two species were redescribed: Anonchotaenia brasiliensis Fuhrmann, 1908 from Tachyphonus coronatus (Vieillot) and Thraupis cyanoptera (Vieillot) (new host records) from Brazil, and Thraupis sayaca (Linnaeus) and Volatinia jacarina (Linnaeus) from Paraguay (new host and geographic records); and Anonchotaenia macrocephala Fuhrmann, 1908 from Tachycineta leucorrhoa (Vieillot) (new host record) from Brazil, Tachycineta meyeni (Cabanis) from Chile (new host and geographic record) and Stelgidopteryx ruficollis (Vieillot) from Paraguay (new host and geographic record). Scanning electron microscopy of A. brasiliensis and A. macrocephala revealed less microthrix variation than has been reported for other cyclophyllidean taxa. Sequence data were generated for nuclear ssr- and lsr-DNA and mitochondrial rrnL and cox1 for A. prolixa, A. brasiliensis, and A. macrocephala. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses supported each species as distinct, but revealed cryptic diversity among A. brasiliensis specimens from different host families. New host records of A. brasiliensis and A. macrocephala prompted a formal assessment of host specificity. Anonchotaenia prolixa was found to be oioxenous (HSS = 0), A. vaslata and A. macrocephala were found to be metastenoxenous (HSS = 3.000 and 3.302, respectively), whereas A. brasiliensis was found to be euryxenous (HSS = 5.876). Anonchotaenia brasiliensis has been found parasitising several species of different passerine families that participate in mixed-species foraging flocks in the Atlantic Forest. A diversity of species of other families join these flocks and are among the substantial number of South American passerine species yet to be examined for cestodes.
Three rheophilic species of the western Palaearctic Barbus with adjacent geographic distributions are recognised in the Danube River basin, each diagnosed by a set of unique mitochondrial DNA alleles. Barbus petenyi Heckel, 1852 from the Eastern and Southern Carpathians and from the Stara Planina Mts is redescribed and a neotype is designated. Barbus carpathicus, new species, is distributed in the Western and Eastern Carpathians. Barbus balcanicus, new species, occurs in the Dinaric and Western Stara Planina Mts. The three species are morphologically similar to each other but B. balcanicus can be distinguished by subtle differences in the snout shape and body and fin colour pattern. As evident from genetic data the name B. cyclolepis waleckii Rolik, 1970 was proposed for the hybrids between B. barbus and B. carpathicus and cannot be used as valid.
Blind mole rats are model organisms for studies of chromosomal evolution, and have a variety of chromosomal forms in Turkey. This study was performed on subterranean mole rats of Nannospalax xanthodon (Satunin, 1898) and N. ehrenbergi (Nehring, 1898) in Turkey. Karyotypes of 63 specimens originating from 30 localities were analysed. Two new cytotypes with 2n = 54 from Adana and 2n = 56 from Karaman, two different populations of the cytotypes 2n = 54C and 2n = 58S, and four different chromosomal arm numbers of the 2n = 60 cytotype (NF = 74, 76, 78 and 80) were determined in N. xanthodon. The cytotypes characterized by 2n = 54,
NF = 74 from Tufanbeyli and Saimbeyli in the Adana province (54S), and by 2n = 56, NF = 70 from Karaman (56K) are new for N. xanthodon in Turkey. A population of N. ehrenbergi from the Osmaniye province in southern Anatolia had a complement with 2n = 56, NF = 70. Additional karyological records for other cytotypes have extended their known distribution areas, and filled most karyological gaps in Turkey.
Two new species of the feather mite family Pteronyssidae Oudemans, 1941 are described from the white-barred piculet, Picumnus cirratus Temminck from Brazil: Pterotrogus picumni sp. n. and Ramphastobius scutatus sp. n., representing the first mites described from this host. Pterotrogus picumni sp. n. can be readily distinguished from all previous species of the simplex group by having dorsal crest on femora I and II in both sexes. This is the first representative of the genus Pterotrogus Gaud, 1981 recorded on a host of the genus Picumnus Temminck. Ramphastobius scutatus sp. n. is unique among species of the genus by having in both sexes the prodorsal and scapular shields fused into a single propodonotal shield covering all prodorsum. An updated key to known species of the genus Ramphastobius Gaud, 1981 is presented.
The examination of the type series of Ophiotaenia gallardi (Johnston, 1911) (syn. Proteocephalus gallardi Johnston, 1911) revealed that it is a mixture of two species of different genera. Lectotype of Ophiotaenia gallardi is designated and the species is redescribed on the basis of it, conspecific paralectotypes and additional materials. The remaining part of the type series belongs to Vandiermenia gen. n. (Acanthotaeniinae), with V. beveridgei sp. n. as the type- and only species. The new genus differs from all other acanthotaeniine genera, i.e. Rostellotaenia Freze, 1963, Acanthotaenia von Linstow, 1903 and Kapsulotaenia Freze, 1963, by the presence of cortical uterine stem and paramuscular vitelline follicles, particular structure of the internal longitudinal musculature (absent laterally and more developed than in the three above-mentioned genera) and testes limited in two fields separated medially. Type series of Ophiotaenia mjobergi (Nybelin, 1917) (syn. Crepidobothrium mjobergi Nybelin, 1917), O. amphiboluri (Nybelin, 1917) (syn. Crepidobothrium amphiboluri Nybelin, 1917), O. striata (Johnston, 1914) (syn. Acanthotaenia striata Johnston, 1914) and O. longmani Johnston, 1916 are revised and compared with Ophiotaenia gallardi. Australotaenia hylae (Johnston, 1912) comb. n. is proposed for Ophiotaenia hylae Johnston, 1912. Australotaenia gen. n. differs from the remaining genera of the subfamily Acanthotaeniinae by (1) the Type 2 of the formation of the uterus (sensu de Chambrier et al. 2004) (all the other acanthotaeniines have the Type 1 of uterine development), (2) the cortical position of the uterine stem (all the other genera have medullary uterine stem) and (3) the morphology of the internal longitudinal musculature, which is composed of few well-developed bundles of fibres (in contrast to the other genera). The new genus also differs from Vandiermenia by eggs not in clusters, the presence of two testicular fields (versus one in Vandiermenia) and the structure of the longitudinal internal musculature with only 8-10 bundles (versus formed by numerous bundles and with the presence of secondary muscles in Vandiermenia). Ophiotaenia sp. sensu de Chambrier (2004), a parasite of Litoria moorei, is described as Australotaenia grobeli sp. n., which can be distinguished from Australotaenia hylae by the smaller number of testes (46-76 versus 74-106), greater cirrus-sac length/width of proglottis ratio (27-33% versus 17-19%) and the smaller ovary width / proglottis width ratio (55-63% versus 68-71%).
Two new gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Philometridae), P. brevicollis sp. n. and P. mira sp. n., are described from the ovary of the brownstripe red snapper, Lutjanus vitta (Quoy et Gaimard) (Lutjanidae, Perciformes), from the South Pacific Ocean off the coast of New Caledonia. Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examination, these new nematodes are compared with all other gonad-infecting species of Philometra. The former species (males and mature and gravid females available) mainly differs from its congeners in the length of males (5.39-5.92 mm), equally long spicules (279-312 µm), and the gubernaculum (151-168 µm), in that the distal end of the gubernaculum bears dorsolateral transverse lamella-like structures, and in the structure of the male caudal end. The latter species (only males available) is characterized by the length of males (3.47-3.66 mm), equally long spicules (96-105 µm), and the gubernaculum (78-84 µm), the absence of a dorsal reflected barb or lamella-like structures on the distal end of gubernaculum, and by the structure of the male caudal end. Judging from the occurrence in the host, P. brevicollis is the main philometrid parasitizing the gonads of L. vitta, in which it can reproduce, whereas this fish probably serves as only the paradefinitive host for P. mira. Both P. brevicollis and P. mira are the first nominal species of Philometra described from fishes of the family Lutjanidae.
Two hypogean species of genus Triplophysa are herein described from two subterranean tributaries of the River Yangtze drainage in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China. Triplophysa wudangensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 5.1-6.5% HL; interorbital width 33.1-35.8% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 34. Triplophysa qingzhenensis, new species, can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: eye reduced, with diameter 2.1-4.4% HL; interorbital width 25.1-30.4% HL; body scaleless; lateral line complete; posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated; anterior nostril with elongated barbel-like tip; distal margin of dorsal fin truncate; dorsal fin with 7-8, anal fin with 5, and caudal fin with 14 branched fin rays; vertebrae 4 + 36. Molecular phylogenetic analysis supported the validity of these two new species and indicated their close relationship with Triplophysa rosa.
Two new nematode species, Paragendria papuanensis sp. n. (Quimperiidae) and Rhabdochona papuanensis sp. n. (Rhabdochonidae), are described from the intestine of freshwater fishes Glossamia gjellerupi (Weber et Beaufort) (Apogonidae) and Melanotaenia affinis (Weber) (Melanotaeniidae), respectively, from the Sogeram River (Ramu River basin), Madang Province, northern Papua New Guinea. The former species is characterized mainly by the absence of oesophageal teeth, the presence of conspicuously inflated papillae of the last two subventral pairs, a gubernaculum, spicules 69-75 µm long, eggs measuring 57-66 × 39-45 µm, and by a small body (male and female 3.2-3.7 and 5.8 mm long, respectively). Paragendria is considered a valid genus, to which P. aori (Khan et Yaseen, 1969) comb. n., P. guptai (Gupta et Masoodi, 2000) comb. n., P. hanumanthai (Gupta et Jaiswal, 1988) comb. n. and P. vermae (Gupta et Masoodi, 2000) comb. n. are newly transferred. Rhabdochona papuanensis differs from all congeners mainly in having hammer-shaped deirids and from individual species also in other characters. Both findings represent the first records of species of Paragendria and Rhabdochona from the Australian zoogeographical region and the first records of the representatives of these genera from fishes of the families Apogonidae and Melanotaeniidae, respectively.
Two new nematodes, Paraseuratoides ophisterni gen. et sp. n. (Seuratoidea: Quimperiidae) and Philometra ophisterni sp. n. (Dracunculoidea: Philometridae) are described based on specimens recovered from the intestine and mesentery, respectively, of the swamp-eel Ophisternon aenigmaticum Rosen et Greenwood (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from a canal of the Papaloapan River in Tlacotalpan, State of Veracruz, Mexico. The genus Paraseuratoides is most similar to Paraseuratum Johnston et Mawson, 1940, differing from it mainly in the absence of a bulbous inflation on the anterior end of the oesophagus and in the structure of the mouth (presence of 6 spines in addition to 6 oesophageal teeth). Neoquimperia Wang, Zhao, Wang et Zhang, 1979 and Wuinema Yu et Wang, 1992 are synonymised with Ezonema Boyce, 1971 and Paragendria Baylis, 1939, respectively, and Haplonema hamulatum Moulton, 1931 is considered a junior synonym of Ichthyobronema conoura Gnedina et Savina, 1930. Philometra ophisterni (only females) is mainly characterised by minute cephalic papillae, a greatly developed anterior oesophageal bulb separated from the cylindrical part of the oesophagus, anterior extension of the oesophageal gland anterior to the nerve ring, and by the character of large caudal projections. This is the first Philometra species recorded from inland fishes in Mexico.
Two new species of Acanthobothrium van Beneden, 1850 from the spiral intestine of Pastinachus cf. sephen Forsskål from the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are described. To analyse the surface ultrastructure the worms were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Acanthobothrium jalalii sp. n. belongs to the category 1 species of the genus so far including 43 species. This tiny new species differs from the other category 1 species by its small total length (2.18 ± 0.49 mm), number of proglottids (4.7 ± 0.9) and testes (24 ± 3), terminal segments in an apolytic condition and the shape of the cirrus-sac. Acanthobothrium sphaera sp. n. is a small worm that belongs to the category 2 species of the genus so far including 36 species. A. sphaera sp. n. differs from the other category 2 species by its small total length (1.6 ± 0.2 mm), number of proglottids (9.6 ± 1.2) and testes (12 ± 1), the presence of a vaginal sphincter and the shape of the ovary. This is the first report of Acanthobothrium from the cowtail stingray, P. cf. sephen, from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Pastinachus sephen sensu lato has been reported as a common host of species of Acanthobothrium. Most recently, the host genus Pastinachus Rüppell has been split into five nominal species and several Acanthobothrium species infect the newly described congeners but not P. sephen. The real identity of the host studied within the present study is still in question, since sequence data of three specimens from the Gulf of Oman do not correspond to P. sephen sensu stricto.