Anteropora patulobothridium, Mojica & Jensen & Caira, 2013

Mojica, Kendra R., Jensen, Kirsten & Caira, Janine N., 2013, Revision Of Anteropora (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) And Descriptions Of Five New Species From Stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) In Borneo, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61 (2), pp. 491-506 : 499-501

Anteropora patulobothridium , new species

( Figs. 3D–F , 5 )

Type and only known. — Taeniura lymma 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a) ( Myliobatiformes : Dasyatidae )

Site of infection. — Spiral intestine

Holotype. — MZBCa 181 ex Taeniura lymma 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a) (host no. KA-419), INDONESIA: off Pulau [=Island] Rabu-Rabu (02°19'N, 118°07'E), East Kalimantan, Celebes Sea , 25 Jul.2008, coll. J. N. Caira & K. Jensen.

Paratypes. — Ex Taeniura lymma 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a), MALAYSIA: Pulau [=Island] Mabul (04°14'N, 118°38'E), Sabah , Celebes Sea , 5 May 2003 (host nos. BO-128, BO-131), INDONESIA: Tanjung Batu (02°16'N, 118°06'E), East Kalimantan, Celebes Sea , 24 Jul.2008 (host no. KA-417) and Pulau [=Island] Rabu-Rabu (02°19'N, 118°07'E), East Kalimantan , Celebes Sea , 25 Jul.2008 (host nos. KA-418, KA-419, KA-420), coll. J. N. Caira & K. Jensen. MZBCa 180, 182 (2 whole mounts) (host no. KA- 419); MZUM(P) 2013.12(P), 13(P) (2 whole mounts) (host nos. KA-418, KA-420) ; ZRC.PAR. 27, 28 (2 whole mounts) (host nos. KA-417, KA-419); USNPC 106531 , 106532 (6 whole mounts) (host nos. KA-418, KA-419) ; LRP 7982–7986 (5 whole mounts) (host nos. KA-417, KA-418, KA-419). Two whole worms (host nos. BO-128, BO-131) prepared for SEM retained by K. Jensen at the University of Kansas .

Etymology. — Derived from patulus (L., open, spread out, broad) referring to the ability of this species to extend its scolex laterally.

Description. — Based on 20 specimens: 18 whole mounts of mature worms and two whole worms prepared for SEM.

Worms 583–1,129 (859 ± 138; 18) long; maximum width at scolex, euapolytic; proglottids 8–11 (10 ± 1; 18) in number. Scolex 84–187 (152 ± 22; 18) long by 119–317 (190 ± 59; 16) wide, consisting of four acetabula, apical modification of scolex proper, apical organ, and conspicuous region of scolex proper posterior to acetabula; cephalic peduncle absent. Acetabula bothridiate in form, triangular to rectangular in shape, lacking posterior notch at midline in some, 65–125 (99 ± 17; 16; 32) long by 58–102 (83 ± 11; 15; 30) wide. Apical modification of scolex proper variable, dome-shaped to conical, with raised rim, apparently lacking aperture at center, housing apical organ. Apical organ primarily muscular, with gland cells at base, inverted campanulate in form, 19–33 (27 ± 3; 18) long by 22–33 (27 ± 3; 18) wide, non-protrusible. Apical modification of scolex proper ( Fig. 5C ) covered with hastate spinitriches and capilliform filitriches ( Fig. 5G ), with conspicuous apical rim bearing hamulate spinitriches and capilliform filitriches ( Fig. 5D ). Distal ( Fig. 5E ) and proximal ( Fig. 5F ) surfaces of bothridia covered with gladiate spinitriches and acicular filitriches. Scolex proper posterior to bothridia covered with hastate spinitriches and acicular filitriches ( Fig. 5H ). Proglottids covered with capilliform filitriches throughout, also with small scolopate spinitriches along posterior proglottid margins ( Fig. 5I ).

Proglottids craspedote, non-laciniate. Immature proglottids 6–10 (8 ± 1; 18) in number, initially wider than long, becoming longer than wide with maturity. Mature proglottids 1–2 in number; subterminal proglottid 95–232 (162 ± 42; 18) long by 62–105 (87 ± 13; 18) wide; terminal proglottid 253–470 (341 ± 50; 18) long by 80–142 (101 ± 14; 18) wide. Testes invariably four in number, arranged in single column, 28–55 (38 ± 6; 18; 54) long by 45–84 (65 ± 9; 18; 54) wide, extending from anterior margin of proglottid to slightly overlap anterior margin of ovary. Vasa efferentia not observed. Vas deferens in fully mature proglottids enlarged to form external seminal vesicle, extending along lateral margin of proglottid from ootype region to anterior margin of cirrus-sac. Internal seminal vesicle not observed. Cirrus-sac pyriform, extending between first and second testis, slightly angled anteriorly, 41–70 (57 ± 8; 18) long by 16–34 (24 ± 4; 18) wide, containing coiled cirrus. Cirrus armed with spinitriches. Ovary smooth, H-shaped in frontal view, tetralobed in cross-section, symmetrical, 46–105 (83 ± 14; 18) long by 48–89 (68 ± 10; 18) wide; ovarian bridge at middle of ovary. Mehlis’ gland present posterior to ovarian bridge. Vagina extending along lateral margin of proglottid from ootype region to genital atrium, opening into genital atrium posterior to cirrus-sac. Genital pores lateral, irregularly alternating, 69–79% (76 ± 3; 18) of proglottid length from posterior end. Uterus saccate, extending essentially along midline of proglottid from ovarian bridge to posterior margin of anterior-most testis. Vitellarium follicular; vitelline follicles 11–40 (20 ± 7; 18; 54) long by 9–36 (18 ± 5; 18; 54) wide, in two lateral fields; each field consisting of two columns, extending from posterior margin of anterior-most testis on aporal side and from posterior margin of cirrus-sac on poral side to posterior margin of proglottid, interrupted by ovary. Two pairs of excretory vessels. Eggs not observed.

Remarks. — This species differs from A. indica , A. japonica , A. klosmamorphis and A. leelongi in that it is euapolytic rather than hyperapolytic. Moreover, it differs from A. klosmamorphis and A. leelongi in that its apical organ is primarily muscular, rather than glandular. It differs further from A. japonica in its possession of four rather than six testes and from A. indica in its possession of an ovary that is tetralobed in cross-section, rather than consisting of two to three lobes on each side. With respect to its euapolytic congeners, A. patulobothridium , new species, conspicuously differs from A. joannae , A. cuba and A. glandapiculis in that its apical organ is primarily muscular and associated with an apical modification of the scolex proper with a raised rim that bears hamulate spinitriches, rather than an apical organ that is primarily glandular and lacking such an apical modification of the scolex proper. In addition, unlike its euapolytic congeners, A. patulobothridium , new species, possesses an elongated region of the scolex proper posterior to the bothridia that bears hastate spinitriches. In addition, A. patulobothridium , new species, possesses fewer proglottids than A. joannae (8–11 vs 10–25) and a narrower cirrus-sac (16–34 vs 36–67) than A. glandapiculis ; it is shorter (583–1,129 vs 2,925 –6,195 in total length), possesses conspicuously fewer proglottids overall (8–11 vs 43–82) and also fewer mature proglottids (1–2 vs 3–8) than A. cuba .

The scolex of A. patulobothridium , new species, varied substantially in form depending on its degree of contraction. In some specimens, the scolex was extremely wide and the bothridia in a pair were separated from one another by a distance of greater than the width of a bothridium (e.g., Figs. 3E and 5B ); in other specimens, the bothridia in a pair were adjacent to one another (e.g., Figs. 3D and 5A ). Presumably, this morphological flexibility reflects this worm’s ability to alter the form of its scolex in order to lodge its bothridia between the rows of adjacent villi of the spiral intestine of its host.

Figures

Fig. 3. Line drawings of Anteropora species. A–C, A. glandapiculis, new species. A, whole worm, paratype (USNPC 106524); B, scolex, paratype (USNPC 106522); C, terminal proglottid, holotype (MZUM[P] 2013.4[H]). D–F, A. patulobothridium, new species. D, whole worm, holotype (MZBCa 181); E, scolex, paratype (USNPC 106531); F, terminal proglottid, paratype (USNPC 106532).

Fig. 5. Scanning electron micrographs of Anteropora patulobothridium, new species. A, scolex (small letters indicate location of details in E, F, H); B, scolex with scolex proper laterally extended; C, apical modification of scolex proper (small letters indicate location of details in D, G); D, surface of raised rim of apical modification of scolex proper; E, distal bothridial surface; F, proximal bothridial surface; G, surface of apical modification of scolex proper; H, surface of scolex proper posterior to bothridia; I, surface of posterior margin of proglottid.