Abstract
Parasite biodiversity of fish in coral reefs of the South China Sea is still incompletely explored. We describe here a new species of Neohexostoma (Monogenea: Hexostomatidae) from the gill filaments of the dogtooth tuna Gymnosarda unicolor (Scombridae), collected off Yongshu Reef, South China Sea. Neohexostoma gymnosardae n. sp. is distinguished from its congeners by the following features: (i) haptor clearly marked from body proper by a strongly constricted peduncle, divided in its posterior margin into two symmetrical lobes, (ii) vagina armed with scattered small blunt spines, (iii) eggs tied by their long polar filaments, (vi) esophagus with several lateral diverticula, (v) intestinal ceca unfused and extending into the haptor. We present an analysis of the relationships of this monogenean based on partial 28S rDNA sequences. An identification key for species of Neohexostoma is provided. This is the first member of the genus Neohexostoma known to parasitize a species of Gymnosarda.
Highlights
Gymnosarda unicolor Rüppell 1836 (Perciformes: Scombridae) is an epipelagic, coral-reef associated fish endemic to the Indo-Pacific region [2]
Sequences of 10 species belonging to 6 families available in GenBank, and one sequence of Neohexostoma gymnosardae n. sp. generated in this study were included in the phylogenetic analyses (Table 1)
This study describes a new species of Neohexostoma, N. gymnosardae n. sp., obtained from Gymnosarda unicolor, caught off Yongshu Reef, South China Sea, Northern Pacific
Summary
Gymnosarda unicolor Rüppell 1836 (Perciformes: Scombridae) is an epipelagic, coral-reef associated fish endemic to the Indo-Pacific region [2]. It is the sole species of the genus Gymnosarda [2]. Very little is known about the biology and ecology of G. unicolor. It is almost exclusively solitary, associated with reef structures, and is rarely found in the open sea or in schools [6]. Coral reefs are known for their very high level of biodiversity [13]. Parasite biodiversity in the coral reefs of the South China Sea is still incompletely explored
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