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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Proctocaecum blairi</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Digenea,Cryptogonimidae) from the freshwater crocodile, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crocodylus johnstoni</Emphasis>, in Northern Territory,Australia

Proctocaecum blairi sp. nov. is described from specimens found in the intestine of an Australian freshwater crocodile, Crocodylus johnstoni, from Northern Territory, Australia. The most important diagnostic features of the new species are the body proportions and size, the position of the pharynx (relative length of the prepharynx and oesophagus), the relative length and position of the vitelline fields, and the number, shape and size of the circumoral spines. The new species is morphologically most similar to Proctocaecum atae, P. elongatum, P. crocodili, P. gairhei and Acanthostomum slusarskii. It differs from all of these species in having a much longer prepharynx, and differs from both P. atae and P. crocodili in having a much longer body and posteriorly situated vitelline fields. Proctocaecum blairi sp. nov. differs from P. elongatum in having a shorter body, a greater forebody to hindbody ratio, a much smaller ventral sucker, and a higher number of circumoral spines (23 vs 21 in P. elongatum). The new species differs from P. gairhei in possessing a much larger body length:width ratio and an ovary separated from the anterior testis by a seminal receptacle. Acanthostomum slusarskii lacks a gonotyl and has fewer circumoral spines than the new species. Proctocaecum blairi sp. nov. is the third species of Proctocaecum and the fourth cryptogonimid species known from crocodiles in Australia.     

Molecular differentiation of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the subgenus Culicoides Latreille in Denmark

Identification of Culicoides biting midges to species has attracted attention due to the recent outbreak of bluetongue disease in Northern Europe. Identification of Culicoides to species level has been based on morphological characters and is difficult as several species belonging to species complexes are hard to distinguish. We evaluated the use of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) barcode region in the identification of species within the subgenus Culicoides. COI barcode sequence divergence within species was <1%, whereas it ranged from 12.5% to 19.8% between subgenus Culicoides species. The divergence of subgenus Culicoides species to C. nubeculosus from the subgenus Monoculicoides ranged from 24.4% to 26.1%. Specimens were differentiated into eight unique clusters, including the four common Palaearctic species Culicoides punctatus, Culicoides pulicaris, Culicoides impunctatus, and Culicoides grisescens. Additionally, this study confirms the existence of Culicoides halophilus as a valid taxon and presents the first Culicoides deltus barcode sequences. Three additional groups of specimens were identified: Culicoides dk1 with a COI barcode diverging by 14.3% to 17.2% from other subgenus Culicoides species and Culicoides Kalix and Culicoides dk3, which diverged by 5.9% from each other and showed 12.5% to 17.6% divergence in COI barcode to subgenus Culicoides specimens.     

Falcaustra donanaensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) a parasite of Mauremys leprosa (Testudines, Bataguridae) in Spain

Falcaustra donanaensis sp. nov. (Nematoda, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Mauremys leprosa (Testudines, Bataguridae) is described. By the absence of pseudosucker, arrangement of the male caudal papillae and the size of the spicules Falcaustra donanaensis sp. nov. resembles only to Falcaustra washingtonensis [Bursey and Aker (2001) J Parasitol 87:1082–1084], a species from Ambistoma tigrinum melanostictum in the Nearctic Region. Papillae pattern in the male of F. washingtonensis is similar to F. donanaensis, but differs by the presence of a median papilla in the American species, length of pharynx, spicule, and gubernacle in males, size of eggs, and number of eggs in female. This is the first species of Falcaustra reported in freshwater turtles in the Iberian Peninsula.     

Lepidapedon sereti n. sp. (Digenea: Lepidapedidae) in Coelorinchus sereti (Gadiformes: Macrouridae) from deep waters off Vanuatu

Lepidapedon sereti n. sp. is described from the macrourid Coelorinchus sereti from the deep water off Vanuatu. It is placed in the Elongatum group and Elongatum subgroup. It differs from the other species described in this subgroup by the distinctly dorsally subterminal excretory pore. It also differs from other species in combinations of size, excretory vesicle length, proportions of forebody, post-testicular region and other metric features. This constitutes the first record of a Lepidapedon (sensu stricto) from the Central Western Pacific Ocean.     

Subulura (Murisubulura) tanjinensis sp. nov. (Nematoda, Subuluroidea) from Eutamias sibiricus (Laxmann) (Rodentia) in Tianjin, China

Subulura (Murisubulura) tanjinensis sp. nov. was collected from the Siberian chipmunks, Eutamias sibiricus (Laxmann) at Jixian County, Tianjin, China. The new species can be distinguished from all species of subgenus Murisubulura by the structures of labia lobes, by having a telamon and by the numbers of caudal papillae.     

Phlebotomine sand flies from Madagascar (Diptera: Psychodidae). VIII — Phlebotomus (Anaphlebotomus) vincenti n. sp.

A new species of Phlebotomine sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) is described from Mikea Forest in the southwest of Madagascar: Phlebotomus vincenti n. sp. It is temporarily classified in the subgenus Anaphlebotomus according to its spermathecal organization, similar to those of P. berentiensis, P. fertei and P. vaomalalae, previously classified in the subgenus Anaphlebotomus referring to on male genitalia morphology. An original trumpet-like dilatation on the distal part of the spermathecal ducts individualizes P. vincenti n. sp. from the other Malagasy species. Moreover, the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) sequences strongly individualises P. vincenti n. sp. from the other Malagasy Phlebotomus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cosmocerca kalesari</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Nematoda,Cosmocercidae) in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis</Emphasis> (Amphibia,Anura) from Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary,Haryana, India

Cosmocerca kalesari sp. nov. from the large intestine of frogs, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis, collected in the Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary, India is described and photomicrographed. It is most similar to those species bearing 5 pairs of plectanes, i.e., C. acanthurum, C. banyulensis, C. cruzi, C. japonica, C. ornata, C. novaeguineae, C. paraguayensis, C. parva, C. podicipinus and C. travassosi, but differs from these species with the exception of C. cruzi and C. japonica in the length of spicules and length of gubernaculum. The new species can be separated from C. cruzi and C. japonica by the arrangement of postanal mammiliform papillae: 6 postanal pairs in C. kalesari sp. nov.; 4 postanal pairs in C. cruzi; no postanal mammiliform papillae in C. japonica. Cosmocerca kalesari sp. nov. represents the 25th species assigned to the genus, but only the second species from the Oriental region.     

Morphological and molecular evidence for a new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Raphidascaris</Emphasis> (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from marine fishes from the South China Sea

A new anisakid nematode, Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) longispicula sp. nov., is described from the intestine and stomach of the marine fish Uroconger lepturus (Richardson) (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the South China Sea (Guangdong and Hainan Province, respectively). The new species differs from all congeners in the subgenus Ichthyascaris by the short ventricular appendix (0.36–0.49 mm long), the number and arrangement of caudal papillae (25–28 pairs of preanal, 1–2 pairs of paranal, and 6–8 pairs of postanal), and the very long spicules (1.13–1.32 mm long, representing 9.34–10.3% of body length). The sequences of the internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA of R. (I.) longispicula sp. nov. are analyzed and compared with the closely related nematode sequences. Molecular analyses seem to support the validity of this new nematode species based on morphological observation.     

Comparative ultrastructure of eggs in Echinostoma paraensei, E. caproni, and E. trivolvis (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae)

The 37-collar-spined echinostomes Echinostoma paraensei, E. caproni, and E. trivolvis are digeneans that live in the intestine of small mammals and birds. Comparative studies of the eggs of these species were done using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The egg of E. caproni was the largest of the three species studied, whereas the egg of E. trivolvis was the smallest in both length and width. The SEM study showed differences in the aboperculum region of the eggs in all three species. The TEM study showed that the eggshell of all three species consisted of three layers, but no difference in eggshell structure was observed in any species. Received: 10 September 1999 / Accepted: 9 November 1999     

Gastrointestinal nematodes of Coccymys ruemmleri (Rodentia, Muridae) with the description Montistrongylus giluwensis sp. nov. (Heligmonellidae) and Syphacia coccymyos sp. nov. (Oxyuridae) from Papua New Guinea

Five species of nematode were collected from the digestive tracts of 10 Coccymys ruemmleri from Papua New Guinea. Montistrongylus giluwensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congener by its size, in having more ridges in the synlophe, longer spicules and the form of the cuticle on the female posterior end. Syphacia (S.) coccymyos can be distinguished from all other species in the subgenus by having a laterally extended dorso-ventrally constricted oval cephalic plate and both cervical and lateral alae, together with the combination spicule length and egg size. The helminth assemblage had similar species richness to that of Chiruromys vates with Odilia mackerrasae the only species in common.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) lophii (Wu, 1949) (Nematoda, Anisakidae) from marine fishes from China, with a key to the species of the subgenus Ichthyascaris

The little known ascaridoid nematode Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) lophii (Wu, 1949) is redescribed and illustrated based on newly collected specimens from the five different marine fishes: Lophius litulon (Jordan) (Lophiiformes: Lophiidae), Lophiomus setigerus (Vahl) (Lophiiformes: Lophiidae), Antennarius hispidus (Bloch et Schneider) (Lophiiformes: Antennaridae), Zeus faber Linnaeus (Zeiformes: Zeidae) and Ostichthys japonicus (Cuvier) (Beryciformes: Holocentridae) from the East and South China Sea. This species differs from all congeners in the subgenus Ichthyascaris by the length of the ventricular appendix (0.52-0.98 mm long), the number and arrangement of caudal papillae (26-32 pairs of precloacal, 3-4 pairs of paracloacal and 8-11 pairs of postcloacal) and the length of the spicules (0.49-0.88 mm long, representing 3.08-4.70% of body length). In addition, nematodes collected from these five different fishes have been characterized using molecular methods by sequencing and analysing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal DNA. No variation in size and nucleotide polymorphisms is detected within the target sequence among all samples analysed. These data contribute to facilitate an accurate diagnosis of this poorly known nematode. An identification key to the species of the subgenus Ichthyascaris is also provided.     

Identification of six sibling species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) by a polymerase chain reaction assay

Until the eradication of malaria from Europe, members of the Anopheles maculipennis complex had been the major vectors for plasmodial parasites. With the possible reintroduction of Plasmodium species due to climate change and increased travel to and from countries where malaria is endemic, accurate identification of mosquito species will be essential for preventive studies. For this purpose, a diagnostic PCR system to differentiate between six of the seven A. maculipennis sibling species occurring in Europe was developed. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA was amplified and sequenced for all six species. Based on differences in the nucleotide sequences, species-specific primers were constructed for PCR amplification of mosquito DNA that in combination with a universal primer generate amplification products of different length, each unique for one species. Received: 11 January 1999 / Accepted: 29 April 1999     

On the rugose area and caudal papillae distribution in Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) Railliet & Henry, 1911, by scanning electron microscopy

The objective of this study was to obtain a better characterization of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) Railliet & Henry, 1911, in Brazil, ratifying previous accounts and adding new data on the rugose area on the ventral surface of the spiralled posterior portion of males observed by scanning electron microscopy, which presents a different arrangement compared to other species of the genus, and differs also from the genera Litomosoides Chandler, 1931, and Wuchereria Silva Araújo, 1877, adding another taxonomic character to Dirofilariinae and Onchocercinae. Scanning electron microscopy studies also showed some aspects of the distribution of caudal papillae in D. immitis that have not been described before. Received: 4 April 1999 / Accepted: 23 April 1999     

A new species of Stephanostomum Looss, 1899 (Digenea, Acanthocolpidae) with a bizarre oral sucker: S. adlardi sp. nov. from the common coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède, 1802) (Perciformes, Serranidae) from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef

A new species of Acanthocolpidae, Stephanostomum adlardi is described from the serranid Plectropomus leopardus from Lizard Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef. It differs from all previously described acanthocolpids in the structure of the oral sucker which is extended into dorsal and ventral lobes each bearing a row of spines. A phylogenetic tree estimated from combined nuclear small and partial large ribosomal RNA gene sequences shows that, despite the unusual oral sucker structure, the species is a true member of the genus Stephanostomum. The molecular results also suggest that Monostephanostomum nolani is derived from within Stephanostomum.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carios fonsecai</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Acari,Argasidae), a bat tick from the central-western region of Brazil

Males, females, and larvae of Carios fonsecai sp. nov. are described from free-living ticks collected in a cave at Bonito, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The presence of cheeks and legs with micromammillate cuticle makes adults of C. fonsecai morphologically related to a group of argasid species (mostly bat-associated) formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, genus Ornithodoros. Examination of larvae indicates that C. fonsecai is clearly distinct from most of the previously described Carios species formerly classified into the subgenus Alectorobius, based primarily on its larger body size, dorsal setae number, dorsal plate shape, and hypostomal morphology. On the other hand, the larva of C. fonsecai is most similar to Carios peropteryx, and Carios peruvianus, from which differences in dorsal plate length and width, tarsal setae, and hypostome characteristics are useful for morphological differentiation. The mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequence of C. fonsecai showed to be closest (85–88% identity) to several corresponding sequences of different Carios species available in GenBank. Bats identified as Peropteryx macrotis and Desmodus rotundus were found infested by C. fonsecai larvae in the same cave where the type series was collected. C. fonsecai showed to be aggressive to humans in the laboratory.     

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.     

A review of the European Harpirhynchidae (Acari, Prostigmata) with the description of a new species

Records of the European Harpirhynchidae Dubinin, 1957 (Acari, Prostigmata) are summarized and briefly discussed. This family is represented in Europe by 23 species belonging to three subfamilies, Harpirhynchinae (18 species recorded), Harpypalpinae Fain, 1972 (4 species recorded), and Ophioptinae Southcott, 1956 (1 species recorded). A new species Harpirhynchus dusbabeki sp. nov. from the bearded tit Panurus biarmicus (L., 1758) (Passeriformes, Timaliidae) in Slovakia is described. This new species differs morphologically from the two similar congeneric species, H. nidulans Nitzsch, 1818 and H. galeridae Fain, Bochkov et Mironov, 1999, by having setae 3a and two setae on both genua I and II.