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.
The genus Liuella Wang et Bai, 1992 is transferred from Trombiculidae to Apoloniinae and a new species Liuella monosetosa sp. n. described from specimens taken in Morocco from the hosts Gerbillus sp. and Meriones libycus Lichtenstein. A new species of Straelensia Vercammen-Grandjean et Kolebinova, 1968, Straelensia variocula sp. n. is described from specimens taken in Morocco and Burkina Faso from the hosts Genetta thierryi Matschie, Gerbillus sp., M. libycus and Elephantulus rozeti (Duvernoy). A list of species, hosts and localities and a key to the species of the Apoloniinae of the world are presented.
Two new species of bothriocephalidean cestodes, Clestobothrium splendidum sp. n. from Merluccius australis (Hutton) and Clestobothrium cristinae sp. n. from Merluccius hubbsi Marini from the Patagonian shelf of Argentina, are described. Clestobothrium splendidum can be typified by the following characteristics: a medium-sized strobila composed of 410-528 proglottides that are much wider than long; 49-90 testes per mature proglottis, partially surrounding the ovary posteriorly; a transversely elongated genital pore situated anterior to spurious articulations; presence of a genital atrium; a globular cirrus-sac occupying 4-6% of mature proglottis width; a vagina with sphincter and three pairs of osmoregulatory canals on each side of the proglottis. Clestobothrium cristinae is characterised by its small size; 71-219 proglottides; 39-64 testes per mature proglottis, usually surrounding completely the ovary posteriorly; a rounded genital pore situated at the same level of spurious articulations; an oval cirrus-sac occupying 8-16% of mature proglottis width; and three pairs of osmoregulatory canals on each side of the proglottis. Clestobothrium cristinae shares with C. splendidum the type and distribution of microtriches, except for the central surface delimited by two lips. Additionally, type and voucher materials of Clestobothrium crassiceps (Rudolphi, 1819) from Merluccius merluccius were studied. A key to species is provided.
Two new species of Cobitis, C. multimaculata sp. nov. and C. microcephala sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the River Nanliu and the River Beiliu, Guangxi Province, China. Cobitis multimaculata can be distinguished from congeners by its unique colour pattern of scattered, small, elongated, oval blotches on the side of the body; well developed mental lobes; and cardioid lamina circularis. It is similar to C. arenae, but can be distinguished from it by possessing a stumpy body (body depth 6.1-6.6 in standard length in males and 5.7-7.3 in females versus 7.9 in standard length in male and 7.3-9.6 in females), shorter caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 1.4-1.7 of its length in males and 1.6-1.8 in females versus 2.5 in male and 2.3-3.1 in females); and 17-22 small, elongate oval blotches along lateral line (versus 20-25 spots). Cobitis microcephala can be distinguished from congeners by possessing small and solitary irregular spots scattered on the side of the body; a slender and finely serrated (16-18 serrae on the inner margin) lamina circularis; and a much smaller jet black spot on upper half of caudal-fin base.
Two new species of Cylicospirura Vevers, 1922 are described from carnivores from southern Africa. Cylicospirura crocutae Junker et Mutafchiev sp. n. from Crocuta crocuta (Erxleben) in Zimbabwe is distinguished from its congeners by combinations of characters, including the presence of four cephalic and four external labial papillae, while internal labial papillae were not distinct, the presence of groups of small accessory teeth between the six large tricuspid teeth, the fifth and the sixth pairs of the caudal papillae being equidistant from the cloaca, and a large ratio of length of the muscular oesophagus to that of the glandular oesophagus. Cylicospirura pardalis Junker et Mutafchiev sp. n. from Panthera pardus (Linnaeus) in the Republic of South Africa is characterized by having tricuspid teeth with large, claw-like, abaxial cusps, four cephalic and six internal labial papillae. Based on the number of caudal papillae and the position of the vulva, the subgenera Gastronodus Singh, 1934 and Skrjabinocercina Matschulsky, 1952 are re-elevated to generic rank. Amended diagnoses are proposed for the genera Cylicospirura, Gastronodus and Skrjabinocercina. Petrowospirura lyncis Matschulsky, 1952 is recognized as valid and, together with P. petrowi Sadykhov, 1957 and P. barusi Arya, 1979, is transferred to Cylicospirura as C. lyncis (Matschulsky, 1952) Junker et Mutafchiev comb. n., C. petrowi (Sadykhov, 1957) Junker et Mutafchiev comb. n. and C. barusi (Arya, 1979) Junker et Mutafchiev comb. n., respectively.
Recent collections of cestode parasites from two species of the myliobatid genus Aetomylaeus Garman from several localities in the Pacific Ocean resulted in the discovery of two new species of Halysioncum Caira, Marques, Jensen, Kuchta et Ivanov, 2013. Halysioncum gibsoni sp. n. from Aetomylaeus maculatus (Gray) in the South China Sea off Borneo differs from all of its congeners in having the following combination of characters: 27 apical hooks (14 type A and 13 type B hooks), 11-12 lateral hooklets, 22-28 spines per column on the cephalic peduncle, testes distributed in a single column and an internal seminal vesicle. Halysioncum arafurense sp. n., recovered from Aetomylaeus cf. nichofii 2 (sensu Naylor et al. 2012b) in the Arafura Sea off the Wessel Islands, Northern Territory, Australia, can be distinguished from its congeners based on the following combination of characters: 23 apical hooks (12 type A and 11 type B hooks), the number of lateral hooklets (9-11), the number of spines per column on the cephalic peduncle (20-24), the number and distribution of the testes (13-15 testes in two irregular columns), and the distribution of vitelline follicles (interrupted dorsally at the level of the ovarian lobes). Both species represent the first verified records of diphyllideans from eagle rays of the genus Aetomylaeus and formally extend the host associations of diphyllideans to include a third genus of Myliobatiformes. The myliobatiforms are indeed an understudied group of available hosts for diphyllideans and represent interesting target hosts if the diversity of diphyllidean tapeworms is to be fully estimated and understood.