A new species of Metadelphis Travassos, 1944 (Digenea: Dicrocoeliidae) from the gall-bladder of Molossus molossus (Pallas) (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in the Brazilian eastern Amazon

Abstract

Metadelphis tkachi n. sp. is described based on material from the gall-bladder of Molossus molossus (Pallas) (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in the Brazilian eastern Amazon. The main differentiating characters of the new species include lobed, tandem testes and elongated clusters of vitelline follicles commencing at the level of the seminal receptacle. The new species can be distinguished from Metadelphis lenti (Santos & Gibson, 1998) and Metadelphis apharyngotrema (Marshall & Miller, 1979) by the shape and position of the testes; from Metadelphis evandroi Travassos, 1944 by having tandem, lobed testes and shorter clusters of vitelline follicles; from Metadelphis compactus Travassos, 1955 by having tandem testes and more elongated clusters of vitelline follicles, and from Metadelphis alverangai Travassos, 1955 by having smaller testes and body, and vitellarium with large follicles. New morphological data are reported for M. lenti based on light and scanning electron microscopy; intraspecific variation was observed.