Two species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from sparid fishes (porgies) off Sicily, Italy, including Philometra obladae sp. n. from the body cavity of Oblada melanura (Sparidae)

Two species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae), were, for the first time, recorded from fishes of the family Sparidae (porgies) from the Tyrrhenian Sea off Sicily, Italy: Philometra obladae sp. n. from the body cavity of the saddled seabream Oblada melanura (Linnaeus) and Philometra filiformis (Stossich, Boll Soc Adriat Sci Nat 17:121–136, 1896) from the gonads of the common pandora Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus). The new species (a single gravid female available) is characterised mainly by a large body (335 mm long, 3.4 mm wide), minute cephalic papillae (14 in number) arranged in two circles, a relatively short (1.29 mm) oesophagus with a distinct anterior inflation, a rounded caudal end without any projections and the length of larvae (549–600 μm) from the uterus. A key to species of Philometra with females located in the body cavity of marine and brackish-water fishes is given. Some new data on the female morphology of a little-known gonad-infecting species P. filiformis are provided; new observations revealed, for the first time in this species, the presence of lateral cephalic papillae and the absence of previously reported black intestinal corpuscles in the larvae.     

A new gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the red cusk-eel Genypterus chilensis (Osteichthyes: Ophidiidae) off Chile

A new nematode species, Philometra genypteri sp. n. (Philometridae), is described from male and female specimens found in the ovary of red cusk-eel, Genypterus chilensis (Guichenot) (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes), from the eastern South Pacific Ocean off the coast of northern Chile. Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examination, the new species differs from most other gonad-infecting Philometra spp. in the length of spicules (126–135 μm), a gubernaculum with dorsal lamella-like structures on its distal end, and the number and arrangement of genital papillae in the male. From a few congeneric, gonad-infecting species with unknown males, it can be distinguished by some morphological and biometrical features found in gravid female (absence of caudal projections, length of first-stage larvae or oesophagus, moderately developed anterior oesophageal inflation) and by the host type (fish family) and geographical distribution. P. genypteri is the first philometrid species reported from a fish belonging to the order Ophidiiformes and the second nominal species of Philometra recorded from marine fishes of the eastern South Pacific.     

Three species of Philometra (Nematoda, Philometridae) from marine fishes off Corsica, France

Gravid or subgravid females of the following three species belonging to the nematode genus Philometra were collected from marine perciform fishes of the Bonifacio Strait Marine Reserve, Corsica, France: Philometra justinei sp. nov. (prevalence 1.5%, intensity 11) and Philometra sp. (prevalence 3%, intensity 2) from the abdominal cavity and gonads, respectively, of the striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus (Mullidae), and Philometra serranellicabrillae Janiszewska, 1949 (prevalence 27%, intensity 2–6) from the gonads of the comber Serranus cabrilla (Serranidae). The newly described species, P. justinei, is mainly characterized by the absence of an anterior bulbous inflation of the oesophagus, body length of the gravid female (196 mm), conspicuously large amphids, number and distribution of cephalic papillae, and the morphology of larvae. It is the second known species of Philometra parasitizing fishes of the family Mullidae and the ninth species of this genus reported from marine fishes of the Mediterranean region. P. serranellicabrillae, studied for the first time by SEM, is redescribed.     

Philometra spicarae sp. n. (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the abdominal cavity of the marine fish (picarel) Spicara smaris (Centracanthidae) off Sicily, Italy

A new nematode species, Philometra spicarae sp. n. (Philometridae), is described from a gravid female found in the abdominal cavity of spicarel, Spicara smaris (Linnaeus) (Centracanthidae, Perciformes), from the Ionian Sea off Sicily, Italy. The new species differs from most other Philometra spp. parasitic in the abdominal cavity of marine fishes by the oesophagus without an anterior inflation, resembling thus only Philometra cheilopogoni Mordvinova, 1986 and Philometra justinei Moravec, Ternengo and Levron, 2006; these two species can be differentiated from P. spicarae by the relative length of the oesophagus to body length (0.6-0.8% vs. 6%) and some other features. From the gonad-infecting species Philometra filiformis (Stossich, 1896), a parasite of Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus), P. spicarae differs mainly in having a conspicuously long (1.4 mm) intestinal ligament. It is the first nominal philometrid species described from the fish of the family Centracanthidae.     

A new species of Thelandros (Nematoda, Oxyuroidea, Pharyngodonidae) in Leiolepis reevesi (Sauria, Agamidae) from Vietnam

Thelandros vietnamensis sp. nov. (Oxyuroidea, Pharyngodonidae) from the intestines of an agamid lizard, Leiolepis reevesi, collected in Vietnam is described and illustrated. Thelandros vietnamensis represents the 3rd Oriental species to be described and is distinguished from all other species by length of spicule (485–536 μm) of the male; all other species have spicules less than 200 μm.     

Sarcocystis arctosi sp. nov. (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) from the brown bear ( Ursus arctos ), and its genetic similarity to schizonts of Sarcocystis canis -like parasite associated with fatal hepatitis in polar bears ( Ursus maritimus )

The tissues of herbivores are commonly infected with cysts of parasites belonging to the apicomplexan genus Sarcocystis, but such sarcocysts are rare in bears. Here, we describe a new species, Sarcocystis arctosi, based on the mature sarcocysts identified in two brown bears (Ursus arctos) from Alaska, USA. Microscopic sarcocysts (37–75 × 20–42 μm) had thin walls (<1 μm). The outer layer of the sarcocyst, the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (pvm), was wavy in outline and had minute undulations that did not invaginate towards the sarcocyst interior; these undulations occurred at irregular intervals and measured up to 100 nm in length and up to 60 nm width. The ground substance layer beneath the pvm was smooth and lacked microtubules. Longitudinally cut bradyzoites measured 5.6–6.8 × 0.7–1.8 μm. A major portion of nuclear small subunit rDNA sequence obtained from these sarcocysts was similar to that previously obtained from the hepatic schizonts of a S. canis-like parasite from polar bears (Ursus maritimus).     

A new species of genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hysterothylacium</Emphasis> Ward et Magath, 1917 (Nematoda,Anisakidae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Liparis tanakae</Emphasis> (Scorpaeniformes,Liparidae) from the Yellow Sea,China

A new anisakid nematode, Hysterothylacium liparis sp. nov., is described from the intestine and stomach of the fish, Liparis tanakae (Gilbert et Burke, 1912) (Scorpaeniformes, Liparidae), a fish endemic to the Yellow Sea, China. The new species can be distinguished from the congeners by the absence of lateral alae, the length of the intestinal caecum (1.94–3.35 mm, 58.84–82.47% of oesophageal length), the number and arrangement of the caudal papillae (20–29 precloacal subventral pairs, 1 adcloacal pair and 4 postcloacal pairs), the size of the spicules (1.94–3.74 mm, 4.85–7.30% of body length) and the morphology of the tail tip. This is the first species of adult ascaridoid nematodes to be reported from fishes of the family Liparidae in northern China.     

Morphologic and genetic characterization of Sarcocystis sp. from the African grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus, from Costa Rica

A species of Sarcocystis is reported from a naturally infected African grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus, from Costa Rica. Only mature sarcocysts, measuring up to 2 mm in length and up to 750 μm in width, were observed. The sarcocyst wall was smooth. The villar protrusions on the sarcocyst wall were up to 5 μm long and up to 1.1 μm wide; they were folded over the sarcocyst wall giving a thin-walled appearance. The microtubules in villar protrusions were smooth and confined to villar protrusions. Bradyzoites in sections were 5.4–6.6 × 1.3–2.0 μm in size. Sequencing the small subunit and first internal transcribed spacer portions of ribosomal DNA related this parasite to, but distinguished it from, previously characterized species of Sarcocystis that encyst in the musculature of birds and complete their sexual development in New World opossums of the genus Didelphis. This evidence suggests that the parrot may have acquired its infection from an opossum from which it suffered a debilitating attack a year prior to the onset of depression, anorexia, and ultimately death.     

New philometrids (Nematoda,Philometridae) from head tissues of two serranid fishes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus morio</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycteroperca microlepis</Emphasis>) off Florida,northern Gulf of Mexico

A new species of nematode, Philometra morii sp. nov. (Philometridae), is described from males and gravid females collected from the mouth cavity of the red grouper, Epinephelus morio (Valenciennes) (Serranidae, Perciformes), from the northen Gulf of Mexico, off Florida, USA. The new species is characterized mainly by the length of spicules (84–90 and 72–87 μm) and the length (54 μm) and structure of the gubernaculum in the male, and by the presence of three large oesophageal teeth protruding from the mouth, the number and arrangement of small cephalic papillae (8 papillae in 4 pairs of external circle and 6 single papillae of internal circle), the length (1.09–1.50 mm) and structure of the oesophagus and two large papilla-like caudal projections, and by the length of their bodies (19.34–30.07 mm). Philometra morii is the third species of this genus reported from E. morio in the Gulf of Mexico, differing from the two previously described species, in addition to morphological features, by the site of infection in this host (mouth cavity and sinuses vs oculo-orbits or gonads). From the same region (northern Gulf of Mexico, off Florida), gravid females of Philometra Costa, 1845, morphologically and biometrically similar to those of P. morii, were found in the subcutaneous tissues and sinuses of the head of another serranid fish (gag), Mycteroperca microlepis (Good et Bean). Although their conspecificity with P. morii cannot be excluded, they have been designated as Philometra sp. until conspecific males are discovered and described. Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examination (latter used only for females), both these forms are described.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Falcaustra</Emphasis> (Nematoda,Kathlaniidae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cnemaspis</Emphasis> aff. <Emphasis Type="Italic">tro pidogaster</Emphasis> (Squamata,Gekkonidae) from Sri Lanka

Falcaustra desilvai sp. nov. (Ascaridida, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Cnemaspis aff. tropidogaster (Squamata, Gekkonidae) is described and illustrated. Falcaustra desilvai represents the 4th nematode species from Sri Lanka to be assigned to the genus and is distinguished from other Sri Lankan species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (12 precloacal, 2 adcloacal, 10 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (956–1046 μm) and absence of a pseudosucker.     

Morphologic characterization of Sarcocystis sp. sarcocysts from the Buffon’s macaw (Ara ambigua)

A species of Sarcocystis is reported from two naturally infected Buffon’s macaws (Ara ambigua) from Costa Rica. Only mature sarcocysts, measuring up to 950 μm in length and up to 75 μm in width, were observed. By light microscopy the sarcocyst wall was thin (< 1 μm thick) and smooth. The villar protrusions on the sarcocyst wall were up to 4.0 μm long and up to 0.6 μm wide; they were folded over the sarcocyst wall giving a thin-walled appearance. The microtubules in villar protrusions were smooth and confined to villar protrusions. Bradyzoites in sections were 4.0–5.9 × 0.8–1.8 μm in size. Structurally, sarcocysts from the macaw appeared different from sarcocysts of other avian species. This is the first report of Sarcocystis infection in this host.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Falcaustra</Emphasis> (Nematoda,Kathlaniidae) and other nematodes from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphenomorphus simus</Emphasis> (Squamata,Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea

Falcaustra papuensis sp. nov. (Ascaridida, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Sphenomorphus simus (Squamata, Sciencidae) is described and illustrated. Falcaustra papuensis represents the 4th Australo-Papuan species assigned to this genus and is distinguished from other Australo-Papuan species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (6 precloacal, 6 adcloacal, 8 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (561–714 μm) and presence of a pseudosucker. Sphenomorphus simus was found to harbor 2 additional species of nematodes, Meteterakis crombiei and Oswaldocruzia bakeri. Sphenomorphus simus represents a new host record for each of these nematode species.     

Philometra johnii sp. nov. (Nematoda, Philometridae), a new gonad-infecting philometrid from the sin croaker Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier) (Perciformes, Sciaenidae) from marine waters of Iraq

A new nematode species, Philometra johnii sp. nov. (Philometridae), is described from male and female specimens found in the ovary of the sin croaker, Johnius dussumieri (Cuvier) (Perciformes, Sciaenidae), in the Arabian Gulf, off the southern coast of Iraq. Based on light and scanning electron microscopical examination, the new species differs from all other gonad-infecting Philometra spp. with dorsal lamella-like structures on the distal tip of the gubernaculum in having a dorsal bipartite protuberance formed by two subdorsal lamellated parts separated from each other by a smooth longitudinal field. This gubernaculum structure is unique among all philometrids. Other distinguishing features include the structure of the male tail, number (6 pairs) and arrangement of genital papillae and the length of spicules (102–153 μm). From eight congeneric, gonad-infecting species with unknown males, the new species can be distinguished by some morphological and biometrical features found in gravid females (absence of caudal projections, length of oesophagus, moderately developed anterior oesophageal inflation, length of first-stage larvae) by the host type (fish family) and geographical distribution. Philometra johnii sp. nov. is the fourth known philometrid species recorded from marine waters of Iraq.     

Two new gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) parasitic in Lutjanus spp. (Osteichthyes: Lutjanidae) in the Bay of Bengal,India

Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies, two new gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) are described from marine fishes of the genus Lutjanus Bloch (Lutjanidae, Perciformes) in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India: Philometra argentimaculati sp. n. and Philometra fulvi sp. n. from the mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskål) and blacktail snapper Lutjanus fulvus (Foerster), respectively. P. argentimaculati is mainly characterised by the body length of male 2.56–3.07 mm, needle-like spicules 183–228 μm long, length of the gubernaculum at 90–120 μm, distal end of the gubernaculum with lamellar structures without a dorsal protuberance and by the dorsally non-interrupted male caudal mound. P. fulvi differs from all Philometra spp. with described males in the rectangular shape of the distal tip of the gubernaculum and is noted for the length of needle-like spicules 123–138 μm, that of the gubernaculum 69–93 μm and for the presence of a dorsal protuberance and lamella-like structures on the gubernaculum distal end. These are the first nominal species of philometrids reported from fishes of the family Lutjanidae in the region of the Indian Ocean. A necessity of further detailed studies on philometrids parasitising marine fishes worlwide is stressed.     

Description of a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tylodelphys</Emphasis> (Digenea,Diplostomidae) in the wood stork, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycteria americana</Emphasis> (Aves,Ciconiidae) from Argentina

During the course of a study on the endohelminth parasites of birds, specimens of an undescribed species of Tylodelphys Diesing, 1850 (Diplostomidae) were collected from the wood stork, Mycteria americana L., from Formosa Province, Argentina. Tylodelphys brevis sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other Neotropical species of this genus, T. elongata, T. americana and T. adulta, principally by the smaller size of the body (570–851 μm), by the fewer eggs in the uterus (1–2) and by the smaller ratio of body to egg length (6–8). This is the second report of an adult of the genus Tylodelphys from Argentina and the first record of a digenean species parasitizing Mycteria americana in this country.     

Description of a new species of Dolichorchis (Digenea, Diplostomidae) in the cocoi heron, Ardea cocoi (Aves, Ardeidae), from Argentina

Dolichorchis lacombeensis sp. nov., a digenean parasite of the gut of the cocoi heron, Ardea cocoi (L.), is described as a new species from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. This new species most closely resembles D. buteii and D. tregenna in the distribution of the vitelline follicles, which reach the intestinal bifurcation in the forebody. D. buteii can be distinguished from D. lacombeensis sp. nov. by the distribution of the vitelline follicles in the hindbody, which are concentrated in midline, by the presence of a sphincter in genital pore and by the size of holdfast organ and posterior testis, which are larger, (240–400 × 176–240 and 315–464 × 240–410 μm, respectively). D. tregenna differ from the new species by their larger measurements (pseudosuckers’ length 90–100, pharynx 52–90 × 50–70 and eggs 89–104 × 48–68 μm).