Two cystidicolids (Nematoda, Cystidicolidae) from marine fishes off New Caledonia

Abstract

AbstractTwo nematode species of the family Cystidicolidae were collected from the digestive tract of marine fishes off New Caledonia, South Pacific: Ascarophis adioryx Machida, 1981 from the stomach of the speckled squirrelfish Sargocentron spiniferum and the sabre squirrelfish Neoniphon sammara (new host record) (both Holocentridae, Beryciformes), and a Spinitectus sp. female, morphologically similar to S. beaveri Overstreet, 1970, from the roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta (Albulidae, Albuliformes). Based on light and scanning electron microscopy examinations, A. adioryx is redescribed and a new subgenus Dentiascarophis subgen. nov., characterized by the presence of one dorsal and one ventral median protrusions in the mouth, is established to accommodate it; a key to subgenera of Ascarophis is provided. Ascarophis holocentri Parukhin, 1984 is considered a junior synonym of A. adioryx. The cephalic structure of Spinitectus sp. and S. beaveri is very different from those in other congeners and, therefore, a new subgenus Paraspinitectus subgen. nov., characterized by highly reduced pseudolabia, is erected to accommodate these species. The hemiurid digenean Lecithochirium cirrhiti (Manter et Pritchard, 1960) Yamaguti,1970 was found in the stomach of three species of squirrelfishes. Findings of A. (D.) adioryx, Spinitectus (P.) sp. and L. cirrhiti in New Caledonian waters represent new geographical records of these parasites.