Haliotrematoides mediohamides Kritsky & Mendoza-Franco

Kritsky, Delane C., Tingbao, Yang & Yuan, Sun, 2009, Dactylogyrids (Monogenoidea, Polyonchoinea) parasitizing the gills of snappers (Perciformes, Lutjanidae): Proposal of Haliotrematoides n. gen. and descriptions of new and previously described species from marine fishes of the Red Sea, the eastern and Indo-west Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, Zootaxa 1970 (1970), pp. 1-51 : 45-46

Haliotrematoides mediohamides Kritsky & Mendoza-Franco n. sp.

( Figs. 132–137)

Type host and locality: Pacific porgy, Calamus brachysomus (Lockington) (Sparidae) : Perlas Archipelago, Panama (8 o 22'N, 79 o 01'W), 24 May 2007.

Site of infection: Gills.

Specimens studied: Holotype, USNPC 101377 ; 11 paratypes, USNPC 101378 , BMNH 2008.11.19.74- 76, CNHE 6468 .

Etymology: The specific name refers to the similarity of this species to H. mediohamus ( Zhukov, 1983) n. comb.

Description: Greatest width usually near body midlength or in anterior trunk. Cephalic lobes well developed. Eyespots lacking lenses. Pharynx subspherical. Testis ovate; vas deferens, seminal vesicle not observed. MCO comprising large bell-shaped base, tapered tubular shaft with counterclockwsie loop about 1/3 distance to tip. Prostate not observed; prostatic reservoir usually large, lying to left of MCO. Germarium generally subrectangular. Vaginal pore simple on small elevation of tegument; seminal vestibule large, extending to left side of trunk, infrequently with spermatophore; vaginal canal arising from vaginal vestibule, initially coiled with few rings, extending dextrally to spherical seminal receptacle near body midline. Ventral anchor with welldeveloped roots, slightly curved robust shaft having a distal inner bulbous blade, straight recurved point; point and distal shaft with delicate superficial grooves. Dorsal anchor with elongate superficial root, inconspicuous deep root having fleshy mass on its outer surface, straight robust shaft with distal inner bulbous blade, straight recurved point; distal shaft, point superficially grooved. Ventral bar rod shaped, with 2 bilateral pockets along anterior margin, ends slightly expanded; dorsal bar a curved rod with delicate posterior shield (often obscure) and each end with short anteriorly directed spine. Hook distribution typical, except hook pair 4 lying on peduncle anterior to anchor bases.

Measurements: Body 408 (384–439; n = 4) long; greatest width 75 (71–77; n = 4). Haptor 85 (76–97; n = 4) long, 64 (60–68; n = 2) wide. Pharynx 23 (20–24; n = 4) wide. MCO 88 (83–94; n = 6) long. Ventral anchor 66 (63–69; n = 8) long; dorsal anchor 57 (54–60; n = 8) long. Ventral bar 27 (25–30; n = 5) long; dorsal bar 35 (32–38; n = 5) long. Hook 12 (11–14; n = 27) long. Germarium 31 (27–33; n = 3) long, 22 (16–26; n = 3) wide; testis 56 (47–63; n = 3) long, 36 (34–38; n = 3) wide.

Remarks: Haliotrematoides mediohamides , H. mediohamus and H. prolixohamus , all from sparid hosts in the western hemisphere, appear closely related based on the comparative morphology of the anchors, bars and MCO. Haliotrematoides mediohamides differs from H. mediohamus by lacking an anteromedial protuberance on the ventral bar and by having a comparatively short base of the MCO. It differs from H. prolixohamus by having shorter and more robust anchors, a shorter posterior shield on the dorsal bar, and by lacking a membrane along the shaft of the MCO.