Volume 55, Issue 4

Species that are introduced to novel environments can lose their native pathogens and parasites during the process of introduction. The escape from the negative effects associated with these natural enemies is commonly employed as an explanation for the success and expansion of invasive species, which is termed the enemy release hypothesis (ERH). In this study, nested PCR techniques and microscopy were used to determine the prevalence and intensity (respectively) of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. in introduced house sparrows and native urban birds of central Brazil. Generalized linear mixed models were fitted by Laplace approximation considering a binomial error distribution and logit link function. Location and species were considered as random effects and species categorization (native or non-indigenous) as fixed effects. We found that native birds from Brazil presented significantly higher parasite prevalence in accordance with the ERH. We also compared our data with the literature, and found that house sparrows native to Europe exhibited significantly higher parasite prevalence than introduced house sparrows from Brazil, which also supports the ERH. Therefore, it is possible that house sparrows from Brazil might have experienced a parasitic release during the process of introduction, which might also be related to a demographic release (e.g. release from the negative effects of parasites on host population dynamics).

Neospora caninum negatively impacts bovine reproductive performance around the world. Addressing this problem requires a greater understanding of the parasite’s molecular biology. In this study, monoclonal antibodies against recombinant proteins were successfully developed and employed to characterise two different proteins of N. caninum: the acute phase-associated NcGRA7 and the chronic phase-associated NcSAG4. Immunofluorescence with the anti-rNcGRA7 monoclonal antibody suggested that NcGRA7 trafficks from tachyzoite dense granules to the matrix of the parasitophorous vacuole and parasite’s surroundings. Furthermore, NcGRA7 is also expressed in the bradyzoite stage and localised on the matrix of bradyzoite-positive vacuoles. NcGRA7 appears to be partially involved in the tachyzoite-invasion mechanisms, as an anti-rNcGRA7 monoclonal antibody partially inhibited in vitro tachyzoite-invasion. A monoclonal antibody specific for NcSAG4 confirmed this protein’s bradyzoitespecific expression both by western blot and immunofluorescence. However, some bradyzoite-positive vacuoles only weakly expressed NcSAG4, if it was expressed at all. The specificity of the anti-rNcSAG4 monoclonal antibody was confirmed by the recognition of the NcSAG4 in the membrane surface of Nc-1SAG4c transgenic tachyzoites, which constitutively expresses NcSAG4. Blocking NcSAG4 of Nc-1SAG4c tachyzoites with the monoclonal antibody did not affect host cell invasion. However, its implication on the host cell adhesion or host immune evasion should not be discarded.

Diploproctodaeum monstrosum sp. nov. is described from Arothron stellatus and A. mappa from off Lizard Island, northern Great Barrier Reef. It differs from its congeners in having a body-length ventral scoop. Diploproctodaeum triodoni sp. nov. is described from Triodon macropterus off New Caledonia. It is distinguished by the extensive vitelline fields usually reaching to the ventral sucker and the folded scoop margins. Other related species are reported from new hosts or localities and dimensions are supplied for: Diploproctodaeum haustrum from Aluterus monoceros off New Caledonia; Diploproctodaeum arothroni from Arothron hispidus off Lizard Island and Ningaloo Reef, northern Western Australia, A. nigropunctatus off Lizard Island and Arothron manilensis off New Caledonia; Diploproctodaeum macracetabulum from Abalistes stellatus on the Swain Reefs, southern Great Barrier Reef and off New Caledonia; Diploproctodaeum momoaafata from Ostracion cubicus off Lizard Island; Diploproctodaeum rutellum from Platax teira off Heron Island, southern Great Barrier Reef; Diploproctodaeoides longipygum from Abalistes stellatus on the Swain Reefs and off New Caledonia; Diplocreadium tsontso from Balistoides conspicillum off Heron Island; Bianium arabicum from Lagocephalus sceleratus off New Caledonia. Attention is drawn to apparent convergent evolution in the body form of several families of trematodes infecting tetraodontids and especially species of Arothron. Abstract Diploproctodaeum monstrosum sp. nov. est décrit de Arothron stellatus et A. mappa de Lizard Island, nord de la Grande Barrière de Corail. L’espèce diffère de ses congénères par sa cuillère ventrale aussi longue que le corps. Diploproctodaeum triodoni sp. nov. est décrit de Triodon macropterus de Nouvelle-Calédonie. L’espèce est caractérisée par ses champs vitellins très développés atteignant généralement la ventouse ventrale, et par les bords plissés de la cuillère. D’autres espèces proches sont signalées de nouveaux hôtes ou localités, et leurs dimensions sont fournies: Diploproctodaeum haustrum de Aluterus monoceros en Nouvelle-Calédonie; Diploproctodaeum arothroni de Arothron hispidus de Lizard Island et Ningaloo Reef, nord de l’Australie Occidentale; Diploproctodaeum macracetabulum de Abalistes stellatus des Swain Reefs, sud de la Grande Barrière de Corail et de Nouvelle-Calédonie; Diploproctodaeum momoaafata de Ostracion cubicus de Lizard Island; Diploproctodaeum rutellum de Platax teira de Heron Island, sud de la Grande Barrière de Corail; Diploproctodaeoides longipygum de Abalistes stellatus des Swain Reefs et de Nouvelle-Calédonie; Diplocreadium tsontso de Balistoides conspicillum de Heron Island; Bianium arabicum de Lagocephalus sceleratus de Nouvelle-Calédonie. L’attention est attirée sur l’évolution apparemment convergente de la forme du corps chez plusieurs familles de trématodes infectant les Tetraodontidae, spécialement les espèces d’Arothron.

A survey of the cryptogonimid trematode fauna infecting Indo-West Pacific Lutjanidae (Perciformes) revealed the presence of four new species whose morphological and genetic differences relative to all other known cryptogonimids warrants the proposal of a new genus, Varialvus gen. nov. Species of this new genus were recovered from sites off Heron and Lizard Islands on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, New Caledonia and Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives. Varialvus gen. nov. is distinguished from all other cryptogonimid genera by the combination of a fusiform to oval body, the relatively small number of large oral spines, a median ovary which is relatively condensed and highly lobed, opposite to slightly oblique testes, uterine loops that are restricted to the hindbody and extend well posterior to the testes, and vitelline follicles that are mainly in the forebody but may extend from the anterior margin of the ovary to anterior to the intestinal bifurcation. Bayesian inference analysis of partial large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequence data for these species revealed that they formed a monophyletic clade, despite V. charadrus sp. nov. having a distinctly muscular gonotyl, which based on morphological characters alone may have warranted placement in a separate genus in the absence of DNA sequence data. At least one species of Varialvus gen. nov. is apparently widespread in the Indo-West Pacific. Three species, V. lacertus sp. nov., V. jenae sp. nov. and V. angustus sp. nov. have each been found at only one locality, but V. charadrus sp. nov. was recovered from lutjanids off the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia and the Maldives, demonstrating a biogeographic range of at least 10,000 kilometres. Siphoderina lutjani (Saoud, Ramadan et Al Kawari, 1988) Miller et Cribb, 2008 is transferred here as V. lutjani (Saoud, Ramadan et Al Kawari, 1988) n. comb. based on morphological and host group agreement with species of Varialvus gen. nov.

Diporotaenia colymbi Spasskaya, Spassky et Borgarenko, 1971 (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea, Schistotaeniidae) is redescribed from Tachybaptus ruficollis (L.) in Turkmenistan. An amended generic diagnosis of Diporotaenia Spasskaya, Spassky et Borgarenko, 1971 is proposed. The taxonomy of Schistotaeniidae Johri, 1959 and the generic composition of its subfamilies, Schistotaeniinae Johri, 1959 and Diporotaeniinae Ryzhikov et Tolkacheva, 1975, are discussed. The genera Ryjikovilepis Gulyaev et Tolkacheva, 1987, Isezhia Gulyaev et Konyaev, 2004, Mircia Konyaev et Gulyaev, 2006 and Decarabia Konyaev et Gulyaev, 2005 are considered as members of the subfamily Diporotaeniinae. An amended diagnosis of the latter subfamily is proposed.

Ultrastructural evidence for early intraurerine embryonic development of Wenyonia virilis is presented. At the initial stage of egg formation, the fertilized oocyte or ovum is surrounded by numerous vitellocytes and newly formed eggshell. Individual vitellocytes undergo progressive fusion into a vitelline syncytium. During cleavage divisions, three types of blastomeres are formed: macromeres, mesomeres and micromeres. Two large macromeres contain a large nucleus with spherical nucleolus and numerous small heterochromatin islands dispersed in moderately electron-dense nucleoplasm. The granular cytoplasm shows a few large mitochondria. Medium-sized mesomeres contain a spherical nucleus with numerous heterochromatin islands, adjacent to the nuclear envelope, and a prominent electron-dense nucleolus. Their nuclei are embedded in granular cytoplasm with a few large and numerous small mitochondria and Golgi complexes. The small micromeres are characterized by presence of spherical nucleoli with large areas of highly condensed heterochromatin and a few islands of granular electron-lucent nucleoplasm. Their granular cytoplasm shows a few small lipid droplets and several spherical mitochondria. Majority of micromeres give rise to the hexacanth but many of them also undergo degeneration or apoptosis. Both mesomeres and macromeres are engaged in the formation of the oncospheral envelopes. The outer envelope is formed by a fusion of two macromeres whereas the inner envelope originates from a fusion of mesomeres. The intrauterine eggs of W. virilis usually contain an embryo at the early preoncopheral phase of development and possesses three primary envelopes: (1) thick eggshell; (2) thin cytoplasmic layer of the outer envelope and (3) inner envelope. Based on embryonic development, egg type and life-cycle characteristics, caryophyllideans tend to show closer affinities to spathebothriideans than to the former pseudophyllideans.

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.

The helminths of two sympatric species of rodents, the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius and the yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis from Slovakia were studied to determine whether there are similarities in the composition of the helminth fauna of two closely related host species living in the same area. A total of twelve species of helminths were identified in these rodent populations, including Brachylaima sp. (Trematoda); Hymenolepis diminuta (Rudolphi, 1819), Mesocestoides sp. larvae, Rodentolepis fraterna (Stiles, 1906), Rodentolepis straminea (Goeze, 1782), Skrjabinotaenia lobata (Baer, 1925), Taenia taeniaeformis larvae (Batsch, 1786) (Cestoda); Aonchotheca annulosa (Dujardin, 1845), Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Dujardin, 1845), Heterakis spumosa Schneider, 1866, Mastophorus muris (Gmelin, 1790) and Syphacia stroma (Linstow, 1884) (Nematoda). In A. agrarius, H. polygyrus was the most prevalent, as well as the most abundant helminth, but R. fraterna was the species with the highest mean intensity. In contrast, S. stroma dominated the A. flavicollis helminth fauna with the highest prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity. Both rodent populations harboured nine helminth species, although the mean individual species richness was significantly higher in A. agrarius than in A. flavicollis. The analysis of helminth diversity at both component and infracommunity levels revealed differences between the two rodent populations, which are most likely attributable to the specific host ecology.

Caligus uranoscopi Vaissière, 1955 (Copepoda, Caligidae) is redescribed based on specimens collected from the gill arches of red mullet, Mullus barbatus barbatus L., 1758, caught off the Algerian coast. Caligus uranoscopi is reported for the first time from the east coast of Algeria and M. barbatus barbatus is a newly recorded host for this parasite. The parasite is uncommon and may be restricted to Algerian coasts. Some remarks are given on the species of Caligidae known from Algeria.

A new species of a parasitic copepod, Acanthochondria helicoleni sp. nov. (Copepoda, Chondracanthidae), is described and illustrated from specimens collected within the branchial chambers of the rubio, Helicolenus lahillei Norman, 1937, from the Argentinean waters. The new species most closely resemble A. serrani Braicovich et Timi, 2009 collected in the same region, but differs in the general measurements and proportions of the body; primarily by the relative length of neck, shape of head, shape and size of genito-abdominal tagma and relative size of the trunk postero-lateral processes.

A new species of the poorly known feather mite genus Anhemialges Gaud, 1958 is described from the Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita. Anhemialges bakeri sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus by the shape of setae w and s on tarsi III, which are hair-like and slightly thickened in basal and median parts. In all other described species of Anhemialges, setae w and s on tarsi III are blade-like or shaped as thick spines. The lack of leg III hypertrophy is discussed and interpreted as characteristic feature of the species rather than male homeomorphy. Remarks about the recent and possible species richness of the genus Anhemialges are given.

Four new species of the feather mite subfamily Pterodectinae (Proctophyllodidae) are described from passerine birds examined in Senegal: Dolichodectes gymnoris sp. nov. from the Russet-browed Bush-sparrow Gymnoris dentata (Sundevall, 1850) (Passeridae), Montesauria plocei sp. nov. from the Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus (Muller, 1776) (Ploceidae), M. zosteropis sp. nov. from the African Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis Bonaparte, 1850 (Zosteropidae), and Proterothrix terpsiphone sp. nov. from the African Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis (Muller, 1776) (Monarchidae). Brief notes on systematics and host associations of the pterodectine genera Dolichodectes Park et Atyeo, 1971, Montesauria Oudemans, 1905, and Proterothrix Gaud, 1968 are also given.

A new representative of the subfamily Analginae, Anhemialges mironovi sp. nov., collected from feathers of the Savi’s warbler Locustella luscinoides (Savi, 1824) (Passeriformes, Sylviidae) from the region of South Dobrudzha (Bulgaria), is described. This species is most similar to A. gaudi Mironov, 2009. The new species differs from A. gaudi by the following features in males: the incision in the interlobar membrane is longer, the gastral shield is split into two parts, and the hysteronotal shield bears a crescent-shaped subtegumental sclerotisation.

This paper presents the first records of the parasitic copepod Caligus furcisetifer Redkar, Rangnekar et Murti, 1949 beyond Indian waters, specifically, on the body surface and head of the critically endangered largetooth sawfish (commonly referred to as the freshwater sawfish in Australia), Pristis microdon Latham, 1794 (Elasmobranchii, Pristidae), in brackish tidal waters of the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and the Leichhardt River in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Queensland. This represents a geographic range extension of ∼8000 km for this parasite. Further, it is only the second member of the genus Caligus to be found on an elasmobranch host in Western Australia and it is the first time this species has been reported from the Southern Hemisphere. Male biased dispersal of P. microdon may be the vector in which the parasite has dispersed from India across to northern Australia, or vice versa. A decline in populations of the critically endangered P. microdon (and possibly other pristid species) in these regions may lead to a concomitant decline in their parasite fauna.