Anthocephalum odonnellae, Ruhnke, Timothy R., Caira, Janine N. & Cox, Allison, 2015

Ruhnke, Timothy R., Caira, Janine N. & Cox, Allison, 2015, The cestode order Rhinebothriidea no longer family-less: A molecular phylogenetic investigation with erection of two new families and description of eight new species of Anthocephalum, Zootaxa 3904 (1), pp. 51-81 : 69-70

Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp.

( Figs. 1 F, 6 C–D, 7 F–J)

Type host. Neotrygon kuhlii 1.

Type locality. Sulu Sea off Pulau Mabul (04°14'44.02"N, 118°37'53.32"E), Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (BO–135).

Additional localities: South China Sea off Pulau Banggi (07°15'29.03"N, 117°10'19.32"E), Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (BO-320); South China Sea off Pulau Balambangan (07°16'28.77"N, 116°56'24.72"E), Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (BO–321); West China Sea off Kuching (02°30'07.34"N, 110°40'16.82"E), Sarawak, Malaysia (BO–336, BO–338); Java Sea off Selakau (01°03'30.60"N, 108°58'24.60"E), West Kalimantan, Indonesia (KA–178).

Site of infection. Spiral intestine.

Type material. Holotype ( MZUM [P] 2014.5[H]); 1 paratype ( MZUM [P] 2014.6[P]); 4 paratypes ( USNM 1251821–1251824), 1 paratype ( MZB Ca 195), 6 paratypes (LRP 8543–8548); hologenophore (LRP 8516).

Etymology. The species is named for Dr. Jane O’ Donnell, collections manager of the Lawrence R. Penner Parasitology collection, in recognition of her years of dedicated service to the tapeworms deposited in the LRP at the University of Connecticut.

Description. Based on 16 whole mounts and 3 scoleces prepared for SEM. Worms slightly craspedote, euapolytic, 11.6–20.1 mm long, with 86–120 proglottids; maximum width 530–1,560 at scolex. Scolex with 4 bothridia and short cephalic peduncle. Bothridia stalked, highly folded when contracted, elongate when relaxed, with 135–159 marginal loculi and inconspicuous apical sucker. Proximal surfaces of bothridial rims with acicular filitriches; proximal surfaces of marginal loculi covered with small scolopate spinitriches and acicular filitriches ( Figures 7 G, H), proximal non-locular bothridial surfaces covered with acicular filitriches ( Figure 7 I). Distal bothridial surfaces covered with small gladiate spinitriches and acicular filitriches ( Figure 7 J).

Immature proglottids initially much wider than long, length:width ratio at mid-strobila 0.9–1.3:1. Terminal proglottid 920–2,100 long by 220–520 wide, length:width ratio 2–9.2:1. Mature proglottids with 26–52 testes. Testes oblong, 20–50 long by 20–60 wide in terminal proglottid. Cirrus-sac posteriorly recurved, 108–204 long by 60–138 wide, containing coiled cirrus; cirrus armed with spinitriches. Vas deferens dorsal, coiled, anterior to cirrus-sac, expanded and descending to ovarian bridge. Genital pores lateral, 31–60% of proglottid length from posterior end, irregularly alternating. Genital atrium prominent. Vagina sinuous, extends from Mehlis’ gland anteriorly, then ventral and lateral to cirrus-sac, opening into genital atrium. Ovary near posterior end of proglottid, H-shaped in frontal view, 320–680 long by 100–170 wide. Ovicapt at posterior margin of ovarian bridge, ventral, 30–60 in diameter. Uterus median, ventral, extending from ovarian bridge to anterior margin of proglottid. Uterine duct inconspicuous. Vitellarium follicular; follicles 10–30 long by 20–60 wide, in 2 lateral bands; each band consisting of 3–4 dorsal and 3–4 ventral columns of follicles, extending from near anterior to near posterior margin of proglottid, interrupted by ovary and cirrus-sac. Excretory ducts consisting of 1 dorsal and 1 ventral pair.

Remarks. Among the 14 described species of Anthocephalum , Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp. bears a greater number of marginal loculi than A. alicae , A. currani , A. decrisantisorum , A. duszynskii , A. gracile , A. jensenae , A. kingae , A. mattisi , A. micheali and A. wedli (135–159 vs. 57–80, 81–110, 75–86, 85–120, 71–80 60, 61–78, 82–95, 79–91 and 116–121, respectively), and fewer marginal loculi than A. cairae (135–159 vs. 197–198). Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp. exhibits a greater number of proglottids than both A. lukei and A. meadowsi (86–120 vs. 28–56 and 30–40, respectively). Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp. most closely resembles A. healyae , collected from Neotrygon kuhlii 4 from the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arafura Sea, but differs in possessing significantly (P<0.05) more testes per proglottid (mean of 42 vs. mean of 37) and a significantly (P<0.05) more anteriorly placed genital pore (mean of 43 vs. mean of 34). Furthermore, the marginal loculi of A. odonnellae n. sp., are essentially round (see Fig. 7 G) rather than longer than wide ( Fig. 3 G).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Line drawings of Anthocephalum n. spp. A. Anthocephalum decrisantisorum n. sp., paratype (LRP 8523). B. Anthocephalum healyae n. sp., holotype (QM G 234600), not all anterior proglottids shown. C. Anthocephalum jensenae n. sp., holotype (QM G 234603). D. Anthocephalum mattisi n. sp., holotype (MNHN HEL 433). E. Anthocephalum meadowsi n. sp., holotype (QM G 234607). F. Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp., holotype (MZUM [P] 2014.5 [H]). G. Anthocephalum papefayei n. sp., paratype (LRP 8549). H. Anthocephalum philruschi n. sp., (LRP 8555). For comparative purposes, all drawings are at same scale.

FIGURE 3. Scanning electron micrographs of Anthocephalum decrisantisorum n. sp. and Anthocephalum healyae n. sp. A. A. decrisantisorum n. sp., scolex. Letters indicate locations of Figures 3 C – D. B. A. decrisantisorum n. sp., marginal loculi. Letter indicates location of Figure 3 C. C. A. decrisantisorum n. sp., proximal surface of marginal loculus near bothridial rim. D. A. decrisantisorum n. sp., proximal surface of bothridium. E. A. decrisantisorum n. sp., distal surface of bothridium. F. A. healyae n. sp., scolex. Letters indicate locations of Figures 3 H – J. B. G. A. healyae n. sp., marginal loculi. Letter indicates location of Figure 3 H. H. A. healyae n. sp., proximal surface of marginal loculus near bothridial rim. I. A. healyae n. sp., proximal surface of bothridium. J. A. healyae n. sp., distal surface of bothridium.

FIGURE 7. Scanning electron micrographs of Anthocephalum meadowsi n. sp. and Anthocephalum odonnellae n. sp. A. A. meadowsi n. sp., scolex. Letters indicate locations of Figures 7 C – E. B. A. meadowsi n. sp., marginal loculi. Letters indicate locations of Figures 7 C – D. C. A. meadowsi n. sp., proximal surface of marginal loculus near bothridial rim. D. A. meadowsi n. sp., proximal surface of marginal loculus and bothridium. E. A. meadowsi n. sp., distal surface of bothridium. F. A. odonnellae n. sp., scolex. Letters indicate locations of Figures 7 I – J. G. A. odonnellae n. sp., marginal loculi. Letter indicates location of Figure 7 H. H. A. odonnellae n. sp., proximal surface of marginal loculus near bothridial rim. I. A. odonnellae n. sp., proximal surface of bothridium. J. A. odonnellae n. sp., distal surface of bothridium.