A New Species of Oochoristica ( Eucestoda : Cyclophyllidea ) Parasite of Agama Mutabilis ( Reptilia : Agamidae ) from Egypt

Abstract

The morphological and morphometric characterization of Oochoristica mutabili, an anoplocephalid cestode infecting the small intestine of the Egyptian changeable lizard, Agama mutabilis (F: Agamidae) in South Sinai were described by light and scanning electron microscopy as a first description from this host in Egypt. Ten out of fifty six (17.9%) of the examined specimens were infected with Oochoristica. Strobila was 14.6 (11.5-22.3) mm long; composed of 34 (30-45) proglottids; 7 (6-11) undifferentiated, 8 (6-10) contained sexual primordia, 14 (13-20) mature and 5 (3-9) gravid. Scolex 324 (300-360) microm wide with four circular suckers measuring 100 (97-124) microm in diameter; neck region is evident. Genital pores irregularly alternating, situated in the anterior quarter of proglottid; testes in median mass situated in the posterior half of proglottid extending laterally to vitellarium; ovary bilobed and situated in the centre of proglottid, vitellaria entire, slightly wider than one lobe of the ovary. Gravid proglottids contained in a uterine capsule containing numerous oncospheres. The described parasite is compared with different species of the same genus from different hosts, it was found that morphometrically the present species was more or less different from the comparable species and the only morphologically similar species was O. parvovaria. Both species were similar in the presence of the cirrus sac, which lied anterior to the ovary, and the bilobed ovary situated in the center of proglottids. However, it can be differentiated by possessing more proglottids, fewer testes, and the lack of primordial development in immature proglottids of the comparable species.