Haliotrematoides novaecaledoniae Kritsky & Justine

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 : 20-22

Haliotrematoides novaecaledoniae Kritsky & Justine n. sp.

( Figs. 42–47)

Type host and locality: Mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskål) (Lutjanidae) : Grande Rade, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 23 October 2007.

Site of infection: Gills.

Specimens studied: Holotype, MNHN JNC 2332 (Th152); 18 paratypes, USNPC 101337 , MNHN JNC 2332 (Th153-153 bis-154-154 bis-155), BMNH 2008.11.19.24-27.

Etymology: The specific name reflects the French Territory of New Caledonia from which the species was first collected.

Description: Greatest width usually at level of vaginal pore near midlength of trunk. Cephalic lobes well developed. Eyespots with lenses; lenses of anterior pair minute. Pharynx ovate. Gonads ovate. Vas deferens usually expanded, looping left intestinal cecum; seminal vesicle inconspicuous; prostate large, well developed, lying dorsal to MCO; prostatic reservoir spherical, situated immediately proximal to base of MCO. MCO comprising small cup-shaped base, slightly tapering tubular shaft forming a single counterclockwise ring near its midlength. Vaginal pore simple within slight indentation of tegument; seminal vestibule apparently absent; vaginal canal short, seminal receptacle not observed. Ventral anchor with nearly perpendicular superficial root, large knob-like deep root, elongate slightly curved shaft with proximal reduction in diameter, recurved point; distal shaft and point superficially grooved. Dorsal anchor with elongate superficial root, inconspicuous to nonexistent deep root, large basal perforation, elongate shaft with proximal reduction in diameter, recurved point; distal shaft and point superficially grooved. Ventral bar with two submedial pockets along anterior margin; dorsal bar rod-shaped, with irregular anterior margin. Hook distribution typical; peduncular hooks at tips of short tentacles. Egg ovate, with elongate proximal filament.

Measurements: Body 401 (364–453; n = 6) long; greatest width 73 (66–79; n = 7). Haptor 85 (78–197; n = 8) long, 68 (61–72; n = 4) wide. Pharynx 19 (17–21; n = 7) wide. MCO 95 (85–105; n = 7) long. Ventral anchor 69 (65–73; n = 10) long; dorsal anchor 89 (86–95; n = 11) long. Ventral bar 39 (35–42; n = 10) long; dorsal bar 42 (37–46; n = 11) long. Hook 12 (11–13; n = 21) long. Germarium 41 (31–49; n = 5) long, 27 (23–30; n = 5) wide; testis 59 (51–71; n = 6) long, 37 (31–41; n = 6) wide.

Remarks: This species resembles H. noncalcaris , H. noncalcaroides and H. brachyflagellocirrus , all parasites of the mangrove red snapper in China, by the comparative morphology of the MCO. It differs from H. noncalcaris and H. noncalcaroides in the general morphology of the haptoral anchors (having more delicate anchors than those of H. noncalcaris and having longer shafts than those of H. noncalcaroides ). It is most similar to H. brachyflagellocirrus in the comparative morphology of the haptoral structures but differs from this species by the more elongate shaft of the MCO.