Abstract
Specimens of a cymothoid isopod from a freshwater fish of Minas Gerais State were studied. These were found to be morphologically comparable to Philostomella cigarra Szidat & Schubart, 1960, except for having multilaminate pleopods which is the distinguishing characteristic of the genus Braga Schiödte & Meinert, 1881. The first pleopod is bilaminate while the second is quadrilaminate. Pleopods three to five are trilaminate. It is herein proposed that the generic name Philostomella Szidat & Schubart, 1960, should be considered invalid and that the species P. cigarra should be transferred to Braga. Braga now contains eight species, including B. cigarra comb. nov., all from South American freshwater fishes. The principal difference between this species and the others in the genus is the form of the female which has a narrow pleon and a small pleotelson. A redescription of this species is presented here because previous descriptions in the literature are inaccurate or incomplete.
Highlights
Braga was proposed by SCHIÖDTE & MEINERT (1881) to include Braga nasuta, B. cichlae and B. brasiliensis, isopod parasites of South American freshwater fishes
SZIDAT & SCHUBART (1960) proposed Philostomella cigarra for a cymothoid parasite found in the mouth of Galeocharax humeralis (Valenciennes, 1834) in São Paulo State, Brazil
SZIDAT & SCHUBART (1960) described a cymothoid isopod from the mouth of a characid fish from the Mogi-Guassu River, near Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, Brazil. They believed that this cymothoid represented a new genus and they gave it the name Philostomella cigarra
Summary
Galeocharax kneri (Steindachner, 1879), were netted in the Rio Grande, near Lavras, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. They were taken on ice to the Department of Veterinary. Six females and seven males collected by the second author from the mouth of Galeocharax kneri caught in the Rio Grande near Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Mouthparts: mandible foot-shaped, palp of three segments (Fig. 29); maxillule (Fig. 28) provided with five, small recurved spines, three terminal and two subterminal; maxilla (Fig. 30) bilobed, with one spine on one side and two on the other; maxilliped (Fig. 31) with finger-like anterior extension having two stout, terminal, recurved spines and one small subterminal spine.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
