<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudorhabdosynochus inversus</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Monogenea,Diplectanidae) from the halfmoon grouper <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus rivulatus</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Serranidae) off New Caledonia

Pseudorhabdosynochus inversus sp. nov. is described from three specimens found in a halfmoon grouper, Epinephelus rivulatus, from the external slope of the barrier reef, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The new species is characterised by the structure of its sclerotised vagina, which resembles that of P. epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1938) but has its primary chamber inverted, and by its measurements. The diplectanid fauna of E. rivulatus shows the same pattern as in other groupers, probably belonging to a clade in which fish species harbour both an abundant species of the ‘Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus group’ (here P. calathus Hinsinger et Justine, 2006) and a rare species (here P. inversus).

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Résumé   Pseudorhabdosynochus inversus sp. nov. est décrit de trois spécimens trouvés chez un mérou demi-lune, Epinephelus rivulatus, de la pente externe du récif barriPre, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Pacifique Sud. La nouvelle espPce est caractérisée par la structure de son vagin sclérifié, qui ressemble B celui de P. epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1938) mais a sa chambre primaire inversée, et par ses mensurations. La faune des Diplectanidae de E. rivulatus montre le mLme patron que chez d.autres mérous, probablement appartenant B un clade, chez lesquels les espPces de poissons hébergent B la fois une espPce abondante du groupe ‘Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus’ (ici P. calathus Hinsinger et Justine, 2006) et une espPce rare (ici P. inversus).

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Calydiscoides limae</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Monogenea,Diplectanidae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pentapodus aureofasciatus</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Nemipteridae) off New Caledonia

Calydiscoides limae sp. nov. is described from the nemipterid Pentapodus aureofasciatus Russell, 2001 caught along the barrier reef off New Caledonia, South Pacific. The new species is characterised by its male copulatory organ, with a distal blade and a lateral spur, and its female sclerotised organ, with a sphere and a thin tube. Its lamellodiscs always have 7 concentric lamellae, with the 3 internal lamellae complete and the 4 peripheral lamellae progressively less and less complete; measurements of the angles occupied by the lamellae in numerous specimens showed that the lamellodisc structure shows little variation among individuals.

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Résumé   Calydiscoides limae sp. nov. est décrit du Nemipteridae Pentapodus aureofasciatus Russell, 2001 pêché le long du récifbarrière de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Pacifique Sud. La nouvelle espèce est caractérisée par son organe copulateur male, avec une lame distale et un éperon latéral, et par son organe sclérifié femelle, avec une sphère et un tube fin. Ses lamellodisques ont toujours 7 lamelles concentriques, avec les 3 lamelles internes complètes et les 4 lamelles périphériques progressivement de moins en moins complètes. La mesure des angles occupés par les lamelles chez de nombreux spécimens montre que la structure des lamellodisques est peu variable entre les individus.

     

Diplectanum parvus sp. nov. (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) from Cephalopholis urodeta (Perciformes, Serranidae) of New Caledonia

Diplectanum parvus sp. nov. is described from the coral reef fish Cephalopholis urodeta collected off New Caledonia, South Pacific, and is the first diplectanid described from this fish. The new species has a very small male copulatory organ (24 μm in length) and a minute body (246 μm in length) and is close to D. nanus Justine, 2007 from which it can be distinguished by the shape of dorsal bars and various measurements. These species belong to a group of diplectanids found in groupers (Serranidae, Epinephelinae), characterised by small funnel-shaped male copulatory organs and no sclerotized female organs. The attribution of these parasites to Diplectanum Diesing is provisional. Other parasites are briefly listed.

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Résumé   Diplectanum parvus sp. nov. est décrit du poisson de récif corallien Cephalopholis urodeta pLché en Nouvelle-Calédonie, et est le premier Diplectanidae décrit de ce poisson. La nouvelle espèce a une organe copulateur male (long de 24 μm) et un corps (long de 246 μm) très petits et est proche de D. nanus Justine, 2007 dont elle peut eêtre différenciée par la forme des barres dorsales et diverses mesures. Ces espèces appartiennent B un groupe de Diplectanidae parasites de mérous (Serranidae, Epinephelinae), caractérisés par des organes copulateurs males petits en forme d’entonnoir et l’absence d’organes sclérifiés femelles, qui sont attribués provisoirement B Diplectanum Diesing. Les autres parasites sont brièvement mentionnés.

     

Polyopisthocotylean monogeneans from carangid fishes off Queensland,Australia and New Caledonia,with a description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Heteromicrocotyloides megaspinosus</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Gills of carangid fishes in Australian waters are dominated by a diversity of polyopisthocotylean monogeneans. This study updates current knowledge of polyopisthocotyleans from carangid hosts in waters along the Queensland coast of Australia and also off New Caledonia. The discovery of Protomicrocotyle celebesensis Yamaguti, 1953 is the first record for the genus in Australian waters and represents a new geographic location for the species, extending its distribution from Sulawesi, Indonesia and Hawaii to Australia. Furthermore, Caranx ignobilis and Carangoides fulvoguttatus are reported as new host records for P. celebesensis. Carangoides gymnostethus is recorded as a new host for Heteromicrocotyla australiensis Rohde, 1977 from a new geographic location, namely Lizard Island, Queensland. Heteromicrocotyloides mirabilis Rohde, 1977 is reported from the gills of C. fulvoguttatus off Lizard Island, Queensland representing a new geographic record. Heteromicrocotyloides megaspinosus sp. nov. is described from the gills of C. fulvoguttatus from Lizard Island, Queensland and New Caledonia. The new species is distinguished from H. mirabilis by the larger number and size of spines in the male genital corona. Gonoplasius carangis was collected from Pseudocaranx dentex at Heron Island, Queensland. Gonoplasius longirostri is synonymised with G. carangis due to overlap in measurements and similar morphology. The number of ‘dorsal pits’ in this taxon may not be a useful character because they can be cryptic and hard to see. Most hosts from which these two Gonoplasius species have been collected previously have been synonymised as Pseudocaranx dentex except Caranx ascensionis which is now considered to be C. lugubris. Our report of G. carangis from P. dentex at Heron Island, Queensland is a new geographic record.     

Resolution of the discrepant host-specificity of Pseudorhabdosynochus species (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) from serranid fishes in the tropical Indo-Pacific

New material from Epinephelus quoyanus collected from Heron Island, Australia and material collected by Young in the same locality, allegedly from E. merra, and deposited in the Queensland Museum, contained the same three species of diplectanid monogeneans: Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus (Young, 1969), P. vagampullum (Young, 1969), and P. justinei Zeng et Yang, 2007 (new record for Australia). In contrast, E. merra in New Caledonia harbours only P. melanesiensis (Laird, 1958). It is concluded that the type-host of P. cupatus and P. vagampullum is not E. merra, as indicated in Young (1969), but E. quoyanus, and that P. cupatus sensu Young comprises two species, P. cupatus from E. quoyanus and P. youngi sp. nov. from E. fasciatus. P. youngi sp. nov. is described from E. fasciatus from New Caledonia (type-locality), Heron Island, and French Polynesia, and distinguished from P. cupatus on the basis of the male quadriloculate organ, sclerotised vagina and lamellosquamodiscs. Thus, P. cupatus, P. melanesiensis and P. youngi each have a single host, respectively E. quoyanus, E. merra, and E. fasciatus. Results for E. fasciatus and E. merra in New Caledonia, Wallis and French Polynesia suggest impoverishment of the monogenean fauna in a West-East gradient in the Pacific.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lamellodiscus theroni</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Monogenea,Diplectanidae), a gill parasite from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diplodus puntazzo</Emphasis> (Teleostei,Sparidae) from the Mediterranean Sea

We propose to name as Lamellodiscus theroni sp. nov., the gill parasite of Diplodus puntazzo (Cetti) that was reported by Euzet (1984) as L. ergensi Euzet and Oliver, 1966 in Kerkennah Island (Tunisia). L. theroni sp. nov. was also found specific to D. puntazzo in Algiers Bay (Algeria) and in Gulf of Lion (France). The host specificity of various Lamellodiscus species on D. puntazzo is briefly discussed. Within Lamellodiscus, L. theroni belongs to the “ignoratus” group characterized by a “lyre” shaped male copulatory organ and to the “ergensi” subgroup, characterized by a complex morphology of the haptoral dorsal bars. L. theroni differs from the five other species of this subgroup (L. ergensi, L. kechemirae, L. tomentosus, L. sanfilippoi, L. baeri) by the morphology and the size of the haptoral dorsal bar. L. theroni, as well as, L. hilii, L. bidens, L. impervius, was only reported on the sparid Diplodus puntazzo. These parasite species are all considered as oioxenic.     

Lamellodiscus crampus sp. nov. (Monogenea, Diplectanidae), a parasite of Dentex maroccanus (Teleostei, Sparidae) from off Tunisia

Lamellodiscus crampus sp. nov. (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of Dentex maroccanus (Valenciennes) collected from the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia) in the oriental part of Mediterranean Sea. The new species belongs to the “ignoratus” group (sensu Oliver 1987) characterized by a lamellodisc with complete lamellae and a “lyre” shaped male copulatory organ, and the “ignoratus” sensu stricto subgroup, characterized by a haptor with simple lateral dorsal bars, as proposed by Amine and Euzet (2005). Lamellodiscus crampus can be easily distinguished from all the congeneric species of the subgroup “ignoratus” by the presence, in the “lyre” male copulatory organ, of five spines in the distal portion on the axial side of the paired piece.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ascarophis</Emphasis> (Nematoda,Cystidicolidae) from the stomach of the marine scorpaeniform fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hoplichthys citrinus</Emphasis> from a seamount off the Chesterfield Islands,New Caledonia

A new species of parasitic nematode, Ascarophis (Similascarophis) richeri sp. nov. (Cystidicolidae), is described from the stomach of the marine scorpaeniform fish Hoplichthys citrinus Gilbert (Hoplichthyidae) (prevalence 19%, intensity 1–8 nematodes per fish) collected in the region of the Chesterfield Islands (Coral Sea, west of New Caledonia) in October 2005. The new species, studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy, is characterized mainly by the structure of the mouth (highly reduced pseudolabia, high pseudolabial terminal projections, no submedian labia, well-developed, bilobed sublabia), bifurcate deirids, the length of the spicules (663–729 μm and 105–108 μm) and the presence of filaments on both egg poles (2–5 on each). Similascarophis Muñoz, González et George-Nascimento, 2004 is considered a subgenus of Ascarophis van Beneden, 1871 to accommodate the species characterized by highly reduced pseudolabia. Presence of the new species in fish from Seamount Nova (Lord Howe Rise) but not from the Chesterfield plateau suggests that it is endemic to this seamount, a case already encountered for many benthic invertebrates.     

Trematodes from Red Sea fishes: On the validity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicometra marmoratae</Emphasis> Nagaty et Abdel-Aal, 1962 and the description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">H. aegyptense</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925)

Specimens of the fishes Siganus spinus L. (Siganidae) and Sargocentron spiniferum Forsskål (Holocentridae) were caught in the Red Sea off the coast of Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai, Egypt. Twenty-three (46%) and 12 (20%) of these fishes, respectively, were found to harbour intestinal trematodes. Siganus spinus was parasitized by Helicometra marmoratae Nagaty et Abdel-Aal, 1962 (Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925) and S. spiniferum by Helicometra aegyptense sp. nov. (Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925). Based on a large number of specimens collected from its type host and locality, H. marmoratae is broadly redescribed for the first time, and its type specimen is re-examined. The validity of this species is discussed and considered a new synonym of H. fasciata (Rudolphi, 1819) Odhner, 1902 (type species of the genus). Helicometra aegyptense sp. nov. is similar to H. equilata (Manter, 1933) Siddiqi et Cable, 1960, H. nasae Nagaty et Abdel-Aal, 1962, H. pteroisi (Gupta, 1956) Fischthal et Kuntz, 1965 and H. interrupta Hassanine, 2005 in having a short forebody and a long cirrus sac extending posterior to the ventral sucker, but differs significantly from them or unique in having a distinctly elongate pharynx, a larger sucker ratio and vitelline follicles grouped in small clusters arranged in two lateral rows on each side of the body. The valid species of Helicometra are listed in four principal groups.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudopycnadena tendu</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Digenea,Opecoelidae) in the yellow-spotted triggerfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudobalistes fuscus</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Balistidae) and additional opecoelids parasitizing fishes from the waters off New Caledonia

Pseudopycnadena tendu sp. nov. is described from the balistid Pseudobalistes fuscus from the waters off New Caledonia. It differs from the only other member of the genus P. fischthali Saad-Fares et Maillard, 1986, in its broad cirrus-sac, with the wide field of large gland-cells, its less nearly circular body shape, its dorsal excretory pore, its shorter post-testicular region, its relatively larger ventral sucker and its smaller eggs. The genus is re-defined to take these distinctions into account. Other opecoelid species reported from New Caledonia are Allopodocotyle epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1942) from Epinephelus cyanopodus, E. fasciatus and E. merra, Cainocreadium epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1934) from E. coeruleopunctatus, E. fasciatus and Variola louti, Hamacreadium mutabile (Linton, 1910) from Lutjanus fulviflamma and L. kasmira, Helicometra epinepheli Yamaguti, 1934 from E. fasciatus and E. merra, Orthodena tropica Durio et Manter, 1968 from Lethrinus lentjan, Pacificreadium serrani (Nagaty et Abdel-Aal, 1962) from Plectropomus leopardus and Pseudoplagioporus interruptus Durio et Manter, 1968 from Lethrinus rubrioperculatus.

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Résumé Pseudopycnadena tendu sp. nov. est décrit du baliste Pseudobalistes fuscus pêché en Nouvelle-Calédonie. L’espèce diffère du seul autre membre du genre, P. fischthali Saad-Fares et Maillard, 1986, par son sac du cirre plus épais avec un champ large de cellules glandulaires, sa forme du corps presque circulaire, son pore excréteur dorsal, sa partie post-testiculaire plus courte, sa ventouse ventrale relativement plus grande et ses œufs plus petits. Le genre est redéfini pour prendre en compte ces distinctions. D’autres Opecoelidae sont mentionnés de Nouvelle-Calédonie: Allopodocotyle epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1942) de Epinephelus cyanopodus, E. fasciatus et E. merra, Cainocreadium epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1934) de E. coeruleopunctatus, E. fasciatus et Variola louti, Hamacreadium mutabile (Linton, 1910) de Lutjanus fulviflamma et L. kasmira, Helicometra epinepheli Yamaguti, 1934 de E. fasciatus et E. merra, Orthodena tropica Durio et Manter, 1968 de Lethrinus lentjan, Pacificreadium serrani (Nagaty et Abdel-Aal, 1962) de Plectropomus leopardus et Pseudoplagioporus interruptus Durio et Manter, 1968 de Lethrinus rubrioperculatus.

     

Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudogilquinia pillersi</Emphasis> (Southwell, 1929) (Cestoda,Trypanorhyncha) from serranid and lethrinid fishes from New Caledonia and Australia

Pseudogilquinia pillersi (Southwell, 1929), a poorly known species of trypanorhynch, is redescribed from plerocerci collected from Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton, 1922), Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch et Schneider, 1801) (Serranidae) and Plectropomus laevis (Lacépède, 1801) (Serranidae) off New Caledonia. These were compared with specimens from Lethrinus atkinsoni Seale, 1910 and Lethrinus miniatus (Forster, 1801) (Lethrinidae) off the north-east coast of Australia as well as syntypes from Protonibea diacantha (Lacépède, 1802) from Sri Lanka. Although size differences were found in parts of the scolex as well as in the sizes of the tentacular hooks, the hook arrangements were identical in all specimens. The differences observed were attributed provisionally to intra-specific variation across a wide geographic and host range.     

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.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anomotaenia barusi</Emphasis> sp. nov. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. alata</Emphasis> (Cestoda,Dilepididae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Charadrius dubius</Emphasis> (Aves,Charadriiformes) in Slovakia,with comments on related species

During a re-assessment of tapeworm collections from wild birds in Slovakia, two Anomotaenia spp. were recovered from the intestine of the little ringed plover Charadrius dubius Scop., 1786. One of them is described as Anomotaenia barusi sp. nov. The new taxon is distinguished from related congeneric species by the different shape and size of the rostellar hooks, the number of testes and the morphology of male and female reproductive organs. The other species was identified as Anomotaenia alata Spassky et Konovalov, 1969. The validity of this species has formerly been questioned because of its striking morphological similarity to the type-species of the genus, A. microrhyncha (Krabbe, 1869), described from the same host, Philomachus pugnax (L.). Present data revealed differences in the number and measurements of the rostellar hooks, the size of the cirrus-sac, the armament of the cirrus and the presence or absence of setae at the polar ends of the inner egg envelope, which supported the validity of A. alata. The finding of A. alata in C. dubius from Slovakia represents a new host and geographical record.     

Behaviour of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sinapis alba</Emphasis> chromosomes in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> background revealed by genomic <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> hybridization

Genomic in-situ hybridization (GISH) was applied to study the behaviour of addition chromosomes in first and second backcross (BC) progenies of hybrids between Brassica napus ssp. napus L. (AACC, 2n = 38) and Sinapis alba L. (SS, 2n = 24) produced by electrofusion. With GISH using genomic DNA of S. alba was used as probe it was possible to clearly distinguish both of the parental genomes and effectively monitor the fate of S. alba chromosomes in the BC₁ and BC₂ progenies. GISH analysis confirmed the sesquidiploid genome composition (AACCS) of the BC₁ progenies, which contained 38 chromosomes from B. napus and 12 chromosomes from S. alba. Genome painting in the pollen mother cells (PMCs) of the BC₁ plants revealed intergenomic association between B. napus and S. alba chromosomes, whereby a maximum of 4 trivalents between AC and S chromosomes were identified at metaphase I. In the BC₂ progenies, aneuploids with different numbers of additional chromosomes from S. alba, ranging from 1 to 7, were confirmed. Three putative monosomic alien addition lines were characterized, and the results are discussed with respect to the potential for intergenomic chromosome recombination.     

Repeat induced point mutation in two asexual fungi, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus niger</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">chrysogenum</Emphasis>

Repeat induced point mutation (RIP) is a gene silencing mechanism present in fungal genomes. During RIP, duplicated sequences are efficiently and irreversibly mutated by transitions from C:G to T:A. For the first time, we have identified traces of RIP in transposable elements of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, two biotechnologically relevant fungi. We found that RIP in P. chrysogenum has affected a large set of sequences, which also contain other mutations. On the other hand, RIP in A. niger is limited to only few sequences, but literally all mutations are RIP-like. Surprisingly, RIP occurred only in transposon sequences that have disrupted open reading frames in A. niger, a phenomenon not yet reported for other fungi. In both fungal species, we identified two sequences with strong sequence similarity to Neurospora crassa RID. RID is a putative DNA methyltransferase and the only known enzyme involved in the RIP process. Our findings suggest that both A. niger and P. chrysogenum either had a sexual past or have a sexual potential. These findings have important implications for future strain development of these fungi.