A new genus of capillariids from birds, Tridentocapillaria gen. n. (Nematoda: Capillariidae)

A new genus of the family Capillariidae, Tridentocapillaria gen. n., has been established. A type species is Tridentocapillaria tridens (Dujardin, 1845) comb. n. Other species of this genus are T. eurycerca (Oschmarin et Parukhin, 1963) comb. n., T. parusi (Wakelin, Schmidt et Kuntz, 1970) comb. n., and T. javanensis (Wakelin, Schmidt et Kuntz, 1971) comb. n. The new genus is characterized by the presence of a trilobed pseudobursa formed by three processes, and a vulvar appendage is always present in females. The genus includes species parasitic in the intestine of birds of the orders Passeriformes and Piciformes.     

Two new nematodes,Paraseuratoides ophisterni gen. et sp. n. (Quimperiidae) and Philometra ophisterni sp. n. (Philometridae), from the swamp-eel Ophisternon aenigmaticum in Mexico

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 mot 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 nematode species, Paragendria papuanensis sp. n. (Seuratoidea) and Rhabdochona papuanensis sp. n. (Thelazioidea), from freshwater fishes in Papua New Guinea

Two new nematode species, Paragendria papuanensis sp. n. (Quimperiidae) and Rhabdochona papuanensis sp. n. (Rhabdochonidae), are described from the intestine of freshwater fishes Glossamia giellerupi (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 microm long, eggs measuring 57-66 x 39-45 microm, 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.     

Psettarium anthicum sp. n. (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) from the heart of cobia Rachycentron canadum (Rachycentridae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Psettarium anthicum sp. n. (Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) infects the myocardium and atrial wall of the cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) (Rachycentridae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico off Mississippi, USA. It is the first member of Psettarium Goto et Ozaki, 1930 reported from other than the Indian Ocean or Pacific Ocean and the second species of the genus reported from cobia. It differs from its congeners by the combination of having posterior caeca with lateral projections appearing as thorns in lateral view and the male pore anterior to the o?type. The species of Psettarium, P. japonicum (Goto et Ozaki, 1929) (type species), P. tropicum Manter, 1940, P. sebastodorum Holmes, 1971, P. rachycentri (Lebedev et Parukhin, 1972) comb. n. (syn. Psettarioides rachycentri Lebedev et Parukhin, 1972) and P. anthicum sp. n., differ from other sanguinicolids by the combination of having an elongate body with a sinistral posterolateral protuberance, minute, straight tegumental body spines in ventrolateral transverse rows, posterior caeca greater than seven time the anterior caeca length, the o6type near the posterior end of the body, a uterus primarily between the ovary and o?type and an oviduct and vitelline duct extending posteriad primarily between the uterus and dextral body margin. We emend Psettarium and provide a diagnostic key to the species. Psettarioides is regarded as a junior synonym of Psettarium because herein we return its type species, P. tropicum, to Psettarium. Regarding the three other sanguinicolids formerly of Psettarioides, we suspect that P. pseudupenei Lebedev et Parukhin, 1972 belongs to Psettarium but include it only tentatively pending an examination of type or other material; we tentatively place P. kurochkini Parukhin, 1976 in Cardicola Short, 1952; and we designate P. grandis (Lebedev et Mamaev, 1968) as incertae sedis pending examination of type or other appropriate material.     

Granulinema gen. n. a new dracunculoid genus with two new species (G. carcharhini sp. n. and G. simile sp. n.) from the bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas (Valenciennes), from Louisiana, USA

Two new species of dracunculoid nematodes, G. carcharhini sp. n. and G. simile sp. n., representing a new genus Granulinema gen. n. (Dracunculoidea: Micropleuridae) are described from the bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, from Louisiana (Lake Borgne), USA; the site of their localization in the host is unknown (probably abdominal cavity). The nematodes of both species were found in tissue juice and only males, juvenile females and body fragments of more advanced but nongravid females were obtained. Granulinema gen. n. differs from Micropleura, the only other genus in the family Micropleuridae, mainly by the presence of marked, dark excretory corpuscles in lateral excretory canals, pointed tail in females, greater number (6) of postanal pairs of caudal papillae in males, and by the presence of conspicuous transverse cuticular ornamentations on the body surface of mature females. The two new species can be easily distinguished from each other by the length of their spicules (0.78-0.90 mm in G. carcharhini sp. n. and 0.20-0.36 mm in G. simile sp. n.); moreover, there are two pairs of preanal papillae in the male of G. carcharhini sp. n., while there are three pairs in G. simile sp. n.     

Ellipsomyxa gobii gen. et sp. n. (Myxozoa: Ceratomyxidae) in the common goby Pomatoschistus microps (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Denmark

A new myxosporean species Ellipsomyxa gobii gen. et sp. n. is described from the common goby Pomatoschistus microps (Kr?yer) (Perciformes, Gobiidae). Plasmodia with long branched pseudopodia in the gallbladder develop to subspherical bisporous plasmodia. The myxospores were found in the gallbladder, and the hepatic and bile ducts. The new genus is characterised by the morphology of the myxospores. The myxospores have smooth thin valves elongated in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the straight central transverse indistinct sutural line. The two spherical polar capsules open some distance from the sutural line on opposite sides. The new genus thereby differs from Leptotheca Thélohan, 1895. Ellipsomyxa gobii is tentatively placed in the Ceratomyxidae.     

Revision of the genus Anguillicola Yamaguti, 1935 (Nematoda: Anguillicolidae) of the swimbladder of eels, including descriptions of two new species, A. novaezelandiae sp. n. and A. papernai sp. n

The genus Anguillicola is reviewed on the basis of the examination of some type specimens and other material. Two new species are described: A. novaezelandiae sp. n. from Anguilla australis (type host) from New Zealand and A. anguilla from Italy (conspecific nematodes were originally reported from Italy as A. australiensis) and A. papernai sp. n. from Anguilla mossambica from South Africa. At present the genus Anguillicola comprises the following five valid species: A. globiceps Yamaguti, 1935, A. australiensis Johnston et Mawson, 1940, A. crassus Kuwahara, Niimi et Itagaki, 1974, A. novaezelandiae sp. n., and A. papernai sp. n. Two Anguillicola species, A. crassus and A. novaezelandiae, were apparently introduced in Europe from other continents a few years ago. The genus Anguillicola is divided into two subgenera: Anguillicola (type species A. (A.) globiceps) and Anguillicoloides subgen. n. (type species A. (A.) crassus). All Anguillicola species are briefly described and illustrated. The paper is supplemented by a key to the identification of Anguillicola species.     

Three species of Magnibursatus Naidenova, 1969 (Digenea: Derogenidae) from Atlantic and Black Sea marine teleosts

Three species of Magnibursatus Naidenova, 1969 are described from marine teleosts: M. skrjabini (Vlasenko, 1931), the type species of the genus, from the gobiid Zosterisessor ophiocephalus on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast; M. bartolii sp. n. from the sparid Boops boops off the Atlantic coast of Spain; and M. minutus sp. n. from the gobiid Neogobius eurycephalus on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. M. bartolii differs from all other Magnibursatus species in its larger sinus-sac (length > 250 microm, width > 150 microm) and the more posterior location of testes. This species is also unusual in that it occurs in the branchial chamber and on the gills of its host. M. minutus is distinguished by the distinctly smaller dimensions of the body (length < 1000 microm, width < 200 microm), organs and eggs. These species are also distinguished from both M. caudofilamentosa (Reimer, 1971) and Tyrrhenia blennii Paggi et Orecchia, 1975. A key to the species of Magnibursatus is presented.     

Pseudodelphis limnicola sp. n. (Dracunculoidea: Guyanemidae) from the heart of Percichthys trucha (Perciformes: Percichthyidae) in Patagonian Andean Lakes (Argentina)

During a survey of parasites of Percichthys trucha (Cuvier et Valenciennes) (Perciformes: Percichthyidae) in northwestern Patagonian lakes, a new dracunculoid of the family Guyanemidae was found parasitizing as adults the heart of the fish. This species belongs to the genus Pseudodelphis Adamson et Roth, 1990 by having deirids, glandular multinucleate oesophagus and anterior branch of the uterus, and by lacking caudal alae and a gubernaculum. Pseudodelphis limnicola sp. n. differs from Pseudodelphis oligocotti Adamson et Roth, 1990 by the number and distribution of the cephalic papillae, a muscular oesophagus submerged into the glandular portion and by lacking a peribuccal ring. This is the first record of a guyanemid inhabiting the heart of a Neotropical perciform fish.     

Ophiotaenia bonneti sp. n. (Eucestoda: Proteocephalidea), a parasite of Rana vaillanti (Anura: Ranidae) in Costa Rica

Ophiotaenia bonneti sp. n. is described from the intestine of the frog Rana vaillanti Brocchi, 1877 (Anura: Ranidae) from San Gerardo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The new species is characterized by the testes 100-177 in number, the genital pores situated anteriorly, the osmoregulatory canals overlapping the testis field, the cirrus pouch length as 15-24% of proglottis width, and the uterus with 18-32 ramified diverticula on each side. It differs from the 23 known species of the genus Ophiotaenia La Rue, 1911, parasitic in amphibians, by one to several morphological characters. It differs from O. gracilis Jones, Cheng et Gillespie, 1958, the most morphologically similar species, in the sucker diameter in % of scolex diameter and in the morphology of the eggs - funnel-like depression and embryophore closely investing the oncosphere in O. gracilis. We generally observe a very low mean prevalence of the Proteocephalidea in Neotropical amphibians (about 0.41%-3%), but in the case of some host species, the prevalence can reach up to 25%. We conclude that these cestodes exhibit a strict host specificity of the oioxene type. Ophiotaenia junglensis Srivastava et Capoor, 1980 is considered a species inquirenda. Batrachotaenia hernandezi (Flores-Barroeta, 1955) becomes Ophiotaenia hernandezi (Flores-Barroeta, 1955) comb. n., B. tigrina (Woodland, 1925) becomes O. tigrina (Woodland, 1925) comb. n. and B. ceratophryos (Parodi et Widakowich, 1916) becomes O. ceratophryos (Parodi et Widakowich, 1916) comb. n.     

Plectanocotyle major sp. n. (Monogenea: Plectanocotylidae), a gill parasite of Chelidonichthys obscurus (Teleostei: Triglidae) from the Mediterranean Sea

Plectanocotyle major sp. n. (Monogenea: Polyopisthocotylea: Plectanocotylidae) is described from Chelidonichthys obscurus (Bloch et Schneider, 1801) collected from the Mediterranean coasts (Tunisia and France). The new species is compared to Plectanocotyle gurnardi collected on Chelidonichthys gurnardus and the only other valid species in the genus Plectanocotyle. The new species differs from P. gurnardi by the clamp size (137 microm vs 64 microm for clamp length and 110 microm vs 60 microm for clamp width, respectively) and the length of the male copulatory organ (107 microm vs 144 microm, respectively). Species of the Plectanocotylidae seem to be characterized by an oioxenic specificity.     

Hylomysobia gen. n. (Acari: Myobiidae), a new genus of mites parasitic on gymnures of the genus Hylomys (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae)

A new genus of Myobiidae, Hylomysobia gen. n. with two new species, H. mikhailzaitzevi sp. n. (type species) and H. chinensis sp. n., is described from gymnures of the genus Hylomys Müller (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae). The two species parasitize Hylomys suillus Müller from Cambodia and Vietnam, and Hylomys sinensis (Trouessart) from China, respectively. These species represent the first records of myobiid mites from species in the family Erinaceidae. The new genus differs from the closely related Eutalpacarus Jameson, 1949 by the following features: in both sexes, coxae I have a triangular process, setae ve are about three times wider than sce and c2, and coxae II bear two pairs of setae; in females, setae sci are lanceolate, setae ag1 and ag3 are absent, and the vulvar lobes are weakly developed; in males, setae e2 are absent, and setae c1, d1, d2 and e1 are situated on the genital shield. The life cycle of Hylomysobia spp. includes egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, and adults, male and female. In contrast to the most other myobiid genera possessing the tritonymphal stage, the deutonymphs of Hylomysobia moult directly to adults, and the tritonymphs are absent. Based on the restricted distribution of Hylomysobia species on hosts of this family (only on species of the genus Hylomys) and close morphological similarities to myobiids from Soricidae and Talpidae, it is suggested that the ancestor of this genus secondarily colonized the ancestor of Hylomys from moles or shrews.     

Monostephanostomum nolani sp. n. and M. krusei Reimer, 1983 (Digenea: Acanthocolpidae) from carangid fishes from coral reef waters off Australia

Monostephanostonum nolani sp. n. is described from Carangoides plagiotaenia Bleeker, off Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. It differs from all other species in the genus except M. manteri Kruse, 1979 in that the vitellarium reaches into the forebody. It differs from M. manteri in the ventral hiatus in the circum-oral spine row, the extent of the vitellarium in the forebody, where it is not confluent, its elongate pharynx and its smaller eggs. Monostephanostoinum krusei Reimer, 1983 is redescribed from Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch et Schneider) from Ningaloo Reef off Western Australia. It is considered similar to M. nolani, differing in the vitellarium being restricted to the hindbody, but sharing with M. nolani an unusual arrangement of small body-spines on the antero-ventral surface. It is also morphologically very similar to Monostephanostomum roytmani (Parukhin, 1974), which apparently lacks the diminutive antero-ventral body-spines. A key to eight recognized species in the genus is presented.     

Two new species of Apoloniinae (Acari: Trombiculoidea: Leeuwenhoekiidae) from African small mammals, with a key to the species of the world

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.     

Some nematodes and acanthocephalans from exotic ornamental freshwater fishes imported into Germany

Five species of adult nematodes, unidentifiable nematode larvae, and three species of acanthocephalans, were found in freshwater ornamental fishes newly imported into Germany from Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The following species were identified: Adult Nematoda: Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, Capillariidae gen. sp., Dichelyne hartwichi sp. n., Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pintoi and Spinitectus allaeri; Acanthocephala: Pseudogorgorhynchus arii gen. et sp. n., Neoechinorhynchus sp. and Pallisentis sp. The nematode Dichelyne hartwichi sp. n. (male only) from the intestine of Chelonodon fluviatilis (Hamilton) from Thailand is characterised mainly by the presence of minute cuticular spines on the tail tip, length of spicules (510 microns) and arrangement of caudal papillae. The acanthocephalan Pseudogorgorhynchus arii sp. n. from the intestine of Ariopsis seemanni (Günther) from Colombia represents a new genus Pseudogorgorhynchus gen. n., differing from other genera of the Rhadinorhynchidae mainly in possessing a small proboscis armed with markedly few (18) hooks arranged in six spiral rows. Spinitectus macheirus Boomker et Puylaert, 1994 and Spinitectus moraveci Boomker et Puylaert, 1994 are considered junior synonyms of Spinitectus allaeri Campana-Rouget, 1961.     

Daniconema anguillae gen. et sp. n., a new nematode of a new family Daniconematidae fam. n. parasitic in European eels

A new nematode genus and species, Daniconema anguillae gen. et sp. n., is described from the serosa of the swimbladder and from the intestine of eels (Anguilla anguilla (L.] from Denmark (Lake Esrum, northern Zealand); a new family Daniconematidae fam. n. is established to accommodate it. The hitherto monotypic family Daniconematidae shows affinities with the Skrjabillanidae; in contrast to the latter, the new family is characterized by the absence of a buccal capsule, by the presence of anus in the female, and by different structure of the male tail (shape of the tail, absence of bursa-like caudal alae, number and distribution of papillae, presence of the peculiar genital projection). D. anguillae has recently been recorded also from eels in Czechoslovakia (Mácha Lake, northern Bohemia).     

Hemipristicola gunterae gen. n., sp. n. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea: Phyllobothriidae) from the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae), from Moreton Bay, Australia

Helminthological examination of the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger) (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae), from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, yielded a phyllobothriid genus and species previously unknown to science. Hemipristicola gunterae gen. n., sp. n. is described here, and is placed in the subfamily Phyllobothriinae Braun, 1900. Of the other phyllobothriid genera, the new genus most closely resembles Paraorygmatobothrium in that both genera possess bothridia with a single loculus and apical sucker, post-vaginal testes and lateral vitellarium. Hemipristicola, however, differs from Paraorygmatobothrium in the morphology of the proximal bothridial surface microthrix, possessing serrate gladiate spinitriches with marginal serrations restricted to the distal half of the blade, and in the possession of a more extensive uterus, extending anteriorly from the anterior margin of the ovary to well past the level of the cirrus-sac. The new genus also differs from Paraorygmatobothrium by possessing testes that are more than one layer deep. Hemipristicola gunterae further differs from Paraorygmatobothrium species found in hemigaleid sharks in possessing vitelline follicles arranged in two lateral bands that are restricted to the lateral margins of the proglottid and not possessing a cephalic peduncle. Bayesian inference analysis of partial 28S rDNA data shows that H. gunterae forms a sister taxon to species of Paraorygmatobothrium. These two genera were resolved with high posterior probability support in the analysis. Hemipristicola gunterae is only the second phyllobothriid species to be described from Hemipristis elongata from Australian waters, and the fourth from the Australian hemigaleids.     

A new atractid nematode,Atractis vidali sp. n. (Nematoda: Atractidae), from cichlid fishes in southern Mexico

A new nematode species, Atractis vidali sp. n., is described from the intestine of cichlid fishes, Vieja intermedia (Günther) (type host) and Cichlasoma pearsei (Hubbs), from specimens collected in three localities in the Mexican states of Campeche (Santa Gertrudis Creek) and Chiapas (Cedros and Lacanjá Rivers). It differs from the only other atractid species reported in fishes of Mexico, Atractis bravoae, mainly in possessing two very unequal spicules. In contrast to the 10 species parasitising amphibians and reptiles in America, the new species has a longer body, spicules and a gubernaculum, and a different distribution of the caudal papillae. This is the second species of the genus Atractis recorded from freshwater fishes.     

Additional records of nematode parasites from Papua New Guinea amphibians with a list of recorded endohelminths by amphibian hosts

An examination of a small sample of four species of frogs (Cophixalus riparius, Phrynomantis humicola, Ph. stictogaster, Ph. wilhelmana) from Papua New Guinea yielded altogether 5 species of nematodes, 2 of them being new to science. These include: Cosmocercella phrynomantisi sp. n. (type host Ph. humicola), Spinicaudinae gen. sp., Parathelandros andersoni sp. n. (type host C. riparius), Oswaldocruzia bakeri, and Paracapillaria spratti. C. phrynomantisi sp. n. differs from congeneric species mainly in the length of spicules (0.180 mm) and the character, arrangement and number of caudal papillae in the male, while P. andersoni sp. n. is characterized mainly by the presence of four well developed spines on the male tail. Pseudocapillaria spratti is redescribed in detail and it is transferred to Paracapillaria as P. spratti (Moravec et Sey, 1986) comb. n. Capillaria combesi Chabaud et Knoepffler, 1985 is transferred to Amphibiocapillaria Moravec, 1982 and Capillaria petiti Justine et Bain, 1987 to Pseudocapillaria Freitas, 1959. A survey of the endohelminths (excluding Hirudinea) hitherto reported from New Guinea amphibians is presented.