Volume 54, Issue 4

The garpike Belone belone (L.) is an epipelagic fish abundant in the Mediterranean, parasitized by two coelozoic myxosporidians in the gall bladder — Myxidium sphaericum Thélohan, 1895 and Ceratomyxa beloneae Lubat, Radujković, Marques et Bouix, 1989. In order to redescribe these intriguing and taxonomically complex species, whose original descriptions are limited only to line drawings based on light microscopy, we studied the morphology and ultrastructure of their vegetative and sporogenic stages. M. sphaericum has an oval to sigmoid or mild crescent shape in the frontal view, large conical polar capsules, opening at the spore end, in opposite direction of the spore length, with 8–9 coils of polar filament. C. beloneae has elongated and slightly arched valves; symmetrical and smooth, with the posterior surface almost straight and anterior surface mildly inclinated, having 5 coils of the polar filament.

The blood parasite diversity was studied in paddyfield warblers (Acrocephalus agricola) breeding in NE Bulgaria, SW Russia and S. Kazakhstan. Nine cytochrome b gene lineages were recorded, 4 belonging to Haemoproteus spp. and 5 to Plasmodium spp. The overall prevalence of haemosporidians was 33.3%. The composition of parasites varied geographically, with six lineages recorded in Russia, five lineages in Bulgaria and two lineages in Kazakhstan. Two lineages are described for the first time, i.e. ACAGR1 (belonging to Plasmodium sp. and recorded from a single bird in Russia) and ACAGR2 (belonging to Haemoproteus sp., recorded from Bulgaria and Russia). The latter lineage is the most widespread parasite in the Bulgarian population, scarce in Russia and absent in Kazakhstan. It is supposed that ACAGR2 has originated from the widespread lineage ACDUM1 differing from it by a single nucleotide. One lineage only (ACDUM2) occurs in all the three populations studied and is a nonspecific parasite known from various passerines. Six of the registered lineages have been found in a single population of A. agricola and also represent non-specific parasites occurring in a wide range of passerine birds. Their records in A. agricola may indicate the high transmission rate of these parasites in the habitats where this host co-occurs with other passerines. The variation of the composition of the haemosporidian parasite communities through the breeding range of A. agricola makes up heterogeneous selection pressures that may drive intraspecific variation in important life-history traits.

A new isosporoid coccidian (Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) species from the grey-hooded flycatcher, Mionectes rufiventris, from Brazil, is reported in the current study. Isospora mionectesi sp. nov. oocysts are ellipsoidal, 28.3 × 21.2 µm, with smooth, bilayered wall, ∼1.3 µm. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent, but one or two polar granules are present. Sporocysts are elongate ellipsoidal, 19.7 × 11.7 µm. Stieda body rounded and substieda body prominent. Sporocyst residuum is subspherical and compact. Sporozoites are vermiform with one refractile body and a nucleus.

Allopodocotyle tunisiensis sp. nov. is described from the intestine of Solea aegyptiaca Chabanaud collected from the Gulf of Gabès in the Mediterranean Sea off Tunisia. The new species belongs to the group C of Allopodocotyle Pritchard, 1966 species (sensu Bray 1987). It differs from its congeners in this group by the shape of the seminal vesicle and the anterior extend of the vitellarium which varies between just posterior to the ventral sucker and anterior margin. A key to the Allopodocotyle species of group C is presented. The status of the genera Allopodocotyle and Macvicaria (Gibson and Bray 1982) are briefly discussed.

The phylogenetic relationships of representative species of the superfamily Lepocreadioidea were assessed using partial lsrDNA and nad1 sequences. Forty-two members of the family Lepocreadiidae, six putative members of the Enenteridae, six gyliauchenid species and one Gorgocephalidae, were studied along with 22 species representing 8 families. The Lepocreadioidea is found to be monophyletic, except for the two species of the putative enenterid genus Cadenatella, which are found to be only distantly related to the lepocreadioids. The Lepocreadioidea is formed of five clades in a polytomy, the Gorgocephalidae, a clade containing the Enenteridae and Gyliauchenidae, a small clade of atypical lepocreadiines and the deep-sea lepidapedine lepocreadiids, a small clade consisting of a freshwater form and a group of shallow-water putative lepidapedines and the final clade includes the remaining lepocreadiids. Thus, the generally accepted concept of the Lepocreadiidae is polyphyletic. The Enenteridae (minus Cadenatella) and the Gyliauchenidae are jointly and individually monophyletic, and are sister groups. The nad1 gene on its own places a deep-sea lepocreadiine with the deep-sea lepidapedines, whereas lsrDNA, combined sequences and morphology place this deep-sea lepocreadiine within a group of typical lepocreadiids. It could not be demonstrated that a significant proportion of sites in the nad1 gene evolved under positive selection; this anomalous relationship therefore remains unexplained. Most deep-sea species are in a monophyletic group, a few of which also occur in shallow waters, retaining some characters of the deep-sea clade. Many lepocreadioid species infect herbivorous fish, and it may be that the recently discovered life-cycle involving a bivalve first intermediate host and metacercariae encysted on vegetation is a common life-cycle pattern. The host relationships show no indication of co-speciation, although the host-spectrums exhibited are not random, with related worms tending to utilize related hosts. There are, however, many exceptions. Morphology is found to be of limited value in indicating higher level relationships. For example, even with the benefit of hindsight the gyliauchenids show little morphological similarity to their sister group, the Enenteridae.

Studies revealed the role of Artemia salina as intermediate host in the life-cycle of a cestode species parasitizing flamingos, i.e. Flamingolepis liguloides. Cysticercoids of this parasite were found for the first time in the Algerian populations of Artemia salina in winter of 2000 and 2001 in Chott Marouane and spring of 2003 in Sebkha Ez-Zemoul. The prevalence ranged between 10 and 33% for the two examined Artemia populations. The intensity of infection was 1–3 cysticercoids per individual. The abdomen was the most targeted site of infection (95% of the population of Sebkha Ez-Zemoul) followed by the thorax and the ovisac. Infected females were less fertile than uninfected ones (24.83 vs 43.70 cysts/brood) in Sebkha Ez-Zemoul or castrated in Chott Marouane.

Ferritin is well known as the main intracellular iron storage protein in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, keeping it in a soluble and non-toxic form, though the role of ferritin as a vaccine candidate in echinococcosis has not yet been delineated. Through our study, ferritin was cloned from Echinococcus granulosus and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant E. granulosus ferritin (rEgferritin) has a molecular weight of 19 kDa and could be recognized by anti-mice serum in Western blotting. The specific antibody was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mice vaccinated with rEgferritin and challenged intraperitoneally with E. granulosus protoscoleces revealed significant protective efficacy up to 85.6%, compared with the control group. Thus, rEgferritin could be a promising candidate as an effective vaccine to prevent the infection of echinococcosis.

Two nematode species of the family Cystidicolidae were collected from the digestive tract of marine fishes off New Caledonia, South Pacific: Ascarophis adioryx Machida, 1981 from the stomach of the speckled squirrelfish Sargocentron spiniferum and the sabre squirrelfish Neoniphon sammara (new host record) (both Holocentridae, Beryciformes), and a Spinitectus sp. female, morphologically similar to S. beaveri Overstreet, 1970, from the roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta (Albulidae, Albuliformes). Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examinations, A. adioryx is redescribed and a new subgenus Dentiascarophis subgen. nov., characterized by the presence of one dorsal and one ventral median protrusions in the mouth, is established to accommodate it; a key to subgenera of Ascarophis is provided. Ascarophis holocentri Parukhin, 1984 is considered a junior synonym of A. adioryx. The cephalic structure of Spinitectus sp. and S. beaveri is very different from those in other congeners and, therefore, a new subgenus Paraspinitectus subgen. nov., characterized by highly reduced pseudolabia, is erected to accommodate these species. The hemiurid digenean Lecithochirium cirrhiti (Manter et Pritchard, 1960) Yamaguti,1970 was found in the stomach of three species of squirrelfishes. Findings of A. (D.) adioryx, Spinitectus (P.) sp. and L. cirrhiti in New Caledonian waters represent new geographical records of these parasites. Abstract Deux espèces de Nématodes Cystidicolidae ont été récoltées du tube digestif de poissons marins de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Pacifique Sud: Ascarophis adioryx Machida, 1981 de l’estomac des poissons-écureuils (Holocentridae, Beryciformes) Sargocentron spiniferum et Neoniphon sammara (nouvel hôte), et une femelle de Spinitectus sp., similaire morphologiquement à S. beaveri Overstreet, 1970, du poisson-banane Albula glossodonta (Albulidae, Albuliformes). A. adioryx est redécrit à partir d’observations en microscopie photonique et électronique à balayage, et un nouveau genre Dentiascarophis subgen. nov., caractérisé par la présence d’une protubérance dorsale et d’une protubérance ventrale dans la bouche, est établi pour l’accueillir. Une clé des sous-genres d’Ascarophis est proposée. Ascarophis holocentri Parukhin, 1984 est considéré synonyme d’A. adioryx. La structure céphalique de Spinitectus sp. et de S. beaveri est très différente de celle des autres congénères et un nouveau sous-genre Paraspinitectus subgen. nov., caractérisé par des pseudolèvres très réduites, est établi pour accueillir ces espèces. Le digène Hemiuridae Lecithochirium cirrhiti (Manter et Pritchard, 1960) Yamaguti, 1970 a aussi été trouvé dans l’estomac de trois espèces de poissons-écureuils. La Nouvelle-Calédonie est une nouvelle mention géographique pour A. (D.) adioryx, Spinitectus (P.) sp. et L. cirrhiti.

A new species of marine fish leeches is described and compared with its congeners. Oceanobdella sakhalinica possesses a unique combination of characters: the anterior sucker is small; one of posterior transverse bands on the urosome is very dark; a wedge-shaped patch is located on the posterior sucker; posterior crop caeca are separate for their entire length; accessory glands on the atrium are lacking; five pairs of testisacs are present; the copulatory area and the conductive tissue are lacking. Hosts include a sculpin Myoxocephalus sp. and the blackline prickleback Acantholumpenus mackayi. The leeches were collected in Aniva Bay, southern Sakhalin.

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.

Mites of the family Syringophilidae are small and uniformly shaped arthropods, inhabiting feather quills of many birds species. Anomalies of setae arrangement are frequently observed in this mite group. Detailed investigation of nymphs and adults Torotrogla merulae Skoracki et al., 2000, reveals the most considerable variability of chaetotaxy aspect in this family. The purpose of our examination is to document anomalies in number and configuration of setae and to hypothesize the possible factors inducing them. As an explanation, a theory based on ‘fluctuating asymmetry’ is proposed.

Based on the examination of 234 specimens of the Brazilian flathead, Percophis brasiliensis (Percophidae), caught in the Argentinean and Uruguayan Seas, the list of digenean species parasitizing P. brasiliensis is increased from 6 to 9, including the specific identification of two species previously reported at the generic level. The three news digenean records for P. brasiliensis are: Elytrophalloides oatesi, Parahemiurus merus and Aponurus laguncula, while that Ectenurus virgulus and Lecithocladium cristatum were identified to specific level. These reports showed the highest diversity of digeneans registered in fishes from the study region. The diversity of the digenean fauna of P. brasiliensis could be a consequence of the generalist food habits of this fish.

Aviculariella alcedonis (Spirurida, Acuariidae) is recorded from Alcedo atthis (Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae) from Bulgaria (new geographical record). A description of female specimens based on light-microscopy and SEM studies is presented. On the basis of the observations of the cephalic end, the position of the genus is considered to be in the subfamily Acuariinae, not in the Seuratiinae where it was previously placed. The host range of Aviculariella spp. is recognised as restricted to birds of the family Alcedinidae. A new morphological peculiarity described in A. alcedonis is the presence of a pair of sublateral ribs at the anterior end of each pseudolabium.

This paper presents the first record of two native Mediterranean cymothoid species caught attached to introduced Lessepsian rabbitfishes. This is also the first record of cymothoids from the coastal waters of Libya. Anilocra physodes was collected from Siganus luridus while Nerocila bivittata was found on both Siganus rivulatus and S. luridus. Rabbitfishes in the southern central Mediterranean have acquired native Mediterranean cymothoids but do not seem to be infested along the Levantine coast.