Acanthocephalan Parasites of the Oarfish, Regalecus russelii (Regalecidae), with a Description of a New Species of Gymnorhadinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Gymnorhadinorhynchidae)

Abstract

Oarfish are rarely seen and seldom studied, which makes their parasite fauna even more enigmatic. Necropsy of 12 oarfish, Regalecus russelii (Regalecidae) (Cuvier, 1816), from Japan yielded 2 species of acanthocephalans. One species was found in 2 oarfish and a total of 76 specimens was collected, but only a single, immature specimen of the second species was found. The former represents an undescribed species from the order Echinorhynchida and is described here. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of the small subunit ( SSU) rDNA place this species in the family Gymnorhadinorhynchidae, and genus Gymnorhadinorhynchus which is characterized by a cylindrical proboscis with longitudinal rows of hooks, basal circle of enlarged hooks, asymmetry of hook shape, 4 cement glands, and a spineless trunk. Diagnostic characters of this species within the genus are the number of longitudinal rows of hooks (14), smaller body size (males: 4.8-6.6 mm and females: 5.3-6.3 mm) and a number of molecular autapomorphies including a number of long insertions in both the SSU and large subunit rDNA (LSU). A single immature female of Bolbosoma sp. (Palaeacanthocephala: Plagiorhynchidae) was also found with its anterior end embedded in the mucosa of the pyloric ceca. The characters of this specimen are not consistent with any other known species of Bolbosoma; however, because only 1 immature specimen with a partially invaginated proboscis was recovered, it was not designated as a new species.