Neodiplectanum magnodiscatum ( Fuentes Zambrano, 1997 ) Fuentes Zambrano, 1997

Domingues, Marcus V., Diamanka, Arfang & Pariselle, Antoine, 2011, Monogenoids (Diplectanidae, Polyonchoinea) from the gills of mojarras (Perciformes, Gerreidae) with the resurrection of Neodiplectanum Mizelle & Blatz, 1941 and the proposal of Darwinoplectanum n. gen., Zootaxa 3010, pp. 1-19 : 4-6

Neodiplectanum magnodiscatum ( Fuentes Zambrano, 1997) n. comb.

( Fig. 10–16 )

Syn. Diplectanum magnodiscatum Fuentes Zambrano, 1997

Diplectanum magnodiscatum: Fuentes Zambrano (1997) : 227–231, fig. 2 (descr) (the legends for the figures of Diplectanum magnodiscatum in Zambrano’s description are inverted with the legends of the figures of Rhamnocercus margaritae Fuentes Zambrano, 1997 , described in the same publication).

Type host. Eugerres plumieri (Cuvier) .

Site. Gills.

Type locality. La Redonda, Laguna de La Restinga (10°57’00’’ – 11°03’00’’ N, 64°01’00’’ – 64°12’00’’W), Venezuela ( Fuentes Zambrano 1997).

Other record. E. plumieri from Loíza River, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Bucaná River, Ponce, Puerto Rico ( Bunkley-Williams & Williams 1994); and Chetumal Bay (18°21’00’’ – 18°52’00’’ N, 87°54’00’’ – 88°23’00’’ W), Mexico ( Aguirre-Macedo et al. 2007).

Material examined. Holotype, MOBR-I-596; vouchers USNPC No 84665 – 84666, CNHE 5713 (G5.16C).

Remarks. Fuentes Zambrano (1997) proposed D. magnodiscatum Fuentes Zambrano, 1997 based on the morphology of the squamodiscs, haptoral bars, copulatory complex and sclerotised vagina. The holotype specimen studied, originally stained with Semichon’s acetocarmine, is overstained (probably the material oxidised over the time). As a result, it was not possible to measure and determinate many of the diagnostic features of internal anatomy or some sclerotised parts of the haptor. Nonetheless, we detected misinterpretations in the morphological description of the copulatory complex. The drawings of Fuentes Zambrano (1997) shows an inverted “Y” copulatory complex interpreted as an articulated male copulatory organ and accessory piece (fig. 2A, B, F). However, the type specimen and voucher specimens examined clearly showed a non-articulated copulatory complex.

This species is supported as a member of Neodiplectanum by the presence of a male copulatory organ nonarticulating with the accessory piece, a heavily sclerotised vaginal atrium, spine-like rodlets in the posterior rows of the squamodiscs and dorsal anchors with conspicuous superficial and deep roots. Therefore, we propose Neodiplectanum magnodiscatum n. comb.. It differs from its congeners by the possession of an accessory piece with tapered distal end, dorsal bar with a constriction at the end, and spine-like rodlets in the posterior rows with three axes ( Fig. 12 ).

Specimens identified as Diplectanum collinsi by Bunkley-Williams & Williams (1994) from E. plumieri from Puerto Rico, and Neodiplectanum wenningeri collected by Aguirre-Macedo et al. (2007) from E. plumieri from Caribbean Sea (Chetumal Bay, Mexico) were examined. These specimens are considered conspecific with N. magnodiscatum n. comb. by the presence of the accessory piece with tapered distal end, spine-like rodlets in the posterior rows of the squamodiscs with three axes, and because all share the same host species.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 16. Neodiplectanum magnodiscatum (Fuentes Zambrano, 1997) n. comb. 10. Copulatory complex. 11. Hook. 12. Squamodisc. 13. Dorsal anchor. 14. Ventral anchor. 15. Dorsal bar. 16. Ventral bar. Figs. 10 – 16 scale of 25 μm.