Two New Dicyemids from Sepia longipes (MollUsca: Cephalopoda: Decapoda)

Abstract

Two new species of dicyemid mesozoan are described from Sepia longipes, Sasaki, 1913, collected from Tosa Bay in Japan. Dicyema oxycephalum n. sp. is a medium-sized species that is about 1,800 microm in length. It lives in folds of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized as having 28-34 peripheral cells, a conical calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the base of the propolar cells. Infusoriform embryos consist of 39 cells; 2 nuclei are present in each urn cell and the refringent bodies are solid. Pseudicyema cappacephalum n. sp. is also a medium-size species; it is about 1,000 microm in length. It too lives in folds of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized as having 32-34 peripheral cells, a cap-shaped calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the base of propolar cells. Infusoriform embryos consist of 39 cells; 2 nuclei are present in each urn cell and the refringent bodies are solid. This is the first description of dicyemids from S. longipes.