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.