Diplectanids (Monogenea) parasitic on the gills of the coralgroupers Plectropomus laevis and P. leopardus (Perciformes, Serranidae) off New Caledonia, with the … (original) (raw)
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Systematic Parasitology, 2006
Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus (Young, 1969) is characterised by small lamellosquamodiscs made up of central telescopic rings and peripheral rows of rodlets, and a sclerotised vagina in the shape of a thin-walled coiled tube with three accessory chambers. Two new species of Pseudorhabdosynochus are herein described from epinepheline fish off New Caledonia, South Pacific, and are considered part of the ‘P.␣cupatus group’. P. cyathus n. sp. from Epinephelus howlandi has lamellosquamodiscs made up of four telescopic rings and four rows of separate rodlets; there are dorsal tegumental scales. This species was found only in young hosts; older hosts harbour P. venus Hinsinger & Justine, 2006. P. calathus n. sp. from Epinephelus rivulatus has lamellosquamodiscs made up of four telescopic rings and five rows of separate rodlets; the tegument is smooth. The three species, P. cupatus, P. calathus and P. cyathus, are strictly species specific; although morphologically very similar, they can be distinguished by features of the tegumental scales and measurements of the vagina and haptoral hard parts. P. melanesiensis (Laird, 1958) from E. merra is close to the ‘P. cupatus group’ according to the morphology of its sclerotised vagina but is distinguished by its squamodiscs which lack telescopic rings. Rare specimens found in E.␣merra are tentatively attributed to P.␣coioidesis Bu et al., 1999. A paratype of P. coioidesis is figured for comparison. E. merra, E. fasciatus, E.␣rivulatus and E. howlandi each have a Pseudorhabdosynochus species of the P. cupatus lineage: these are the dominant species in each host. In addition, E. merra, E.␣fasciatus and E. howlandi harbour a rare species of Pseudorhabdosynochus, respectively P. cf. coioidesis, P. caledonicus Justine, 2005 and P. venus; these rare species are morphologically unrelated to each other and to the ‘P. cupatus group’. Pseudorhabdosynochus cupatus (Young, 1969) est caractérisé par des petits lamellosquamodisques constitués d’anneaux centraux télescopiques et de rangées périphériques d’osselets, et par un vagin sclérifié en forme de tube enroulé à paroi fine avec trois chambres accessoires. Deux nouvelles espèces de Pseudorhabdosynochus parasites de poissons Epinephelinae de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Pacifique Sud sont décrites ici et sont considérées comme membres du ‘groupe P. cupatus’. P. cyathus n. sp., parasite d’Epinephelus howlandi, a des lamellosquamodisques constitués de quatre anneaux télescopiques et de quatre rangées d’osselets séparés; des écailles tégumentaires sont présentes. Cette espèce a été trouvée seulement chez des hôtes jeunes; les hôtes plus âgés hébergent P. venus Hinsinger & Justine, 2006. P. calathus n. sp., parasite d’E. rivulatus, a des lamellosquamodisques constitués de quatre anneaux télescopiques et de cinq rangées d’osselets séparés; le tégument est lisse. Les trois espèces P. cupatus, P. calathus, P. cyathus sont strictement spécifiques de leurs espèces-hôtes respectives; bien que morphologiquement très proches, elles peuvent être distinguées par des caractères des écailles tégumentaires et des mesures du vagin et des parties sclérifiées du hapteur. P.␣melanesiensis (Laird, 1958), parasite d’E. merra, est proche du ‘groupe P. cupatus’ par la morphologie de son vagin sclérifié, mais s’en distingue par ses squamodisques sans anneaux télescopiques. Des spécimens rares trouvés chez E. merra sont rapportés de manière hypothétique à P. coioidesis Bu et al., 1999. Un paratype de P. coioidesis est figuré pour comparaison. E. merra, E. fasciatus, E. rivulatus et E. howlandi ont chacun une espèce de Pseudorhabdosynochus de la lignée P. cupatus, qui est chez chaque hôte l’espèce numériquement dominante. En supplément, E. merra, E. fasciatus et E. howlandi hébergent chacun une espèce rare de Pseudorhabdosynochus, respectivement P. cf. coioidesis, P. caledonicus Justine, 2005, et P.␣venus; ces espèces rares ne sont liées morphologiquement ni entre elles, ni avec le ‘groupe P. cupatus’.
Zootaxa, 2007
Eleven species were differentiated among more than 300 monogeneans collected on the gills of two wild malabar groupers, Epinephelus malabaricus, caught in the lagoon of New Caledonia, South Pacific. Diplectanids included seven species of Pseudorhabdosynochus Yamaguti, 1958, which were differentiated mainly on the basis of morphology of the sclerotised vagina. P. manifestus n. sp. was the most abundant species (65-80% of the diplectanids); all other species were rare. It is characterised by morphology of its vagina, in general shape of a question mark. P. malabaricus n. sp. and P. maternus n. sp. both have a vagina with two spherical chambers, and are differentiated on the basis of measurements of these chambers. P. manipulus n. sp. has an elongate vagina with a long primary chamber. P. marcellus n. sp. has a long vagina with two bends. P. maaensis n. sp. has a long vagina with a straight primary canal and the two chambers united in a common sclerotised part. Two specimens were provisorily attributed to P. cf. shenzhenensis Yang, Zeng & Gibson, 2005. Diplectanum maa n. sp. has a funnel-shaped male copulatory organ. Two species of Haliotrema (Ancyrocephalidae) and Pseudomegalocotyla sp. (Capsalidae) are mentioned but not described. The presence of 11 species of monogeneans in this fish, after a previous published record of 12 species in E. maculatus, provides additional argument for existence of a very rich fauna of monogeneans in groupers, and an impressive parasite biodiversity in coral reef fish in general. Lists are given for other parasites of the malabar grouper, including monogeneans, digeneans, cestodes and nematodes, including new records from New Caledonia; more than 40 parasite species have been recorded in the literature. The malabar grouper is a major fish for aquaculture in South East Asia and a precise description of its parasites is needed for identification of potential threats to farmed fish.
Systematic Parasitology, 2006
Pseudorhabdosynochus venus n. sp. is described from specimens collected from the gills of Epinephelus howlandi off Noume´a, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The male sclerotised quadriloculate organ of P. venus, 61-101 lm in internal length, has an anterior chamber with a thin anterior wall, a very short cone and a short posterior tube. The sclerotised vagina, 50-67 lm in total length, is composed of an anterior open trumpet, an S-shaped canal, a tear-shaped principal chamber and a spherical accessory chamber; all parts are heavily sclerotised. The two squamodiscs have 10-11 rows of separate rodlets and no central closed row of rodlets. P. venus is differentiated from all other species of Pseudorhabdosynochus by the spectacular morphology of its sclerotised vagina. It is the first diplectanid described from E. howlandi.
Systematic Parasitology, 2006
Laticola dae n. sp. is described from specimens collected from the gill-filaments of the highfin grouper Epinephelus maculatus, a coral reef fish caught off Noume´a, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The species is characterised by a spoon-shaped sclerotised male copulatory organ, with four thin walls and 73-108 lm in outer length, and a sclerotised vagina in form of a disc, 16-22 lm in diameter, with a smaller hemisphere on one side. Laticola Yang et al., 2006 was described to accommodate diplectanids from Lates calcarifer (Centropomidae); this is the first Laticola described from a serranid. Other diplectanids, including several species of Pseudorhabdosynochus Yamaguti, 1958, were also found on the same species of fish; specimens of L. dae represented about half of the diplectanids collected; all other species were rare.