Haliotrematoides spinatus 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 : 31

Haliotrematoides spinatus Kritsky & Mendoza-Franco n. sp.

( Figs. 73–78)

Type host and locality: Spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner) (Lutjanidae) : off Taboga Island, Panama (8 o 49'N, 79 o 34'W), 24 May 2007.

Other record: Lutjanus guttatus (Lutjanidae) : Perlas Archipelago , Panama (8 o 22'N, 79 o 01'W), 24 May 2007 .

Site of infection: Gills.

Specimens studied: Holotype, USNPC 101353 ; 12 paratypes, USNPC 101354 , 101355 , BMNH 2008.11.19.40-41, CNHE 6464 , 6465 .

Etymology: The specific name (an adjective) is from Latin ( spinatus = spined) and refers to the bilateral spines of the dorsal bar.

Description: Greatest width usually at level of germarium or in anterior half of trunk. Cephalic lobes moderately developed. Posterior eyespots with large lenses. Pharynx subspherical to subovate. Testis ovate; seminal vesicle inconspicuous. MCO comprising proximal vase-shaped base, tapered tubular shaft a loose clockwise coil of about 1 ring, with small spine near midlength at angular bend in ring; irregular sheath surrounding shaft at midlength of MCO. Prostate, prostatic reservoir indistinct. Germarium variable, with margins masked by vitellarium. Vaginal pore at tip of small nipple enclosed within cavity of elevated tegument; seminal vestibule large, extending nearly to body midline, with sclerotized anterior wall; vaginal canal not observed; seminal receptacle large, overlying anterior portion of germarium. Ventral anchor with elongate superficial root arising from base at about a 45 o angle, short deep root, shaft irregular in diameter with large distal inner blade, straight recurved point with delicate superficial grooves. Dorsal anchor with long superficial root, inconspicuous deep root, nearly straight shaft with distal inner blade, straight recurved point with superficial grooves. Ventral bar rod shaped, straight, with two submedial pockets along anterior margin and subterminal anterior notches; dorsal bar broadly U shaped, with short anteriorly directed spine-like projections on each end. Hook distribution typical, except hook pair 6 lying anterior to anchors.

Measurements: Body 375 (333–414; n = 6) long; greatest width 73 (69–77; n = 5). Haptor 73 (66–85; n = 6) long, 62 (60–65; n = 3) wide. Pharynx 28 (26–31; n = 6) wide. MCO 46 (41–50; n = 5) long. Ventral anchor 55 (51–60; n = 5) long; dorsal anchor 61 (55–68; n = 5) long. Ventral bar 38 (35–41; n = 5) long; dorsal bar 38 (36–41; n = 5) long. Hook 13 (12–14; n = 19) long. Germarium 27–28 (n = 1) long, 26–27 (n = 1) wide; testis 43 (39–47; n = 4) long, 37 (34–42; n = 3) wide.

Remarks: Haliotrematoides spinatus , a parasite of a lutjanid host, most closely resembles H. mediohamus , H. mediohamides and H. prolixohamus , all three of which parasitize species of Calamus (Sparidae) , by possessing anteriorly directed spines at the ends of the dorsal bar. In addition, the four species possess inner blades on the distal shafts of the dorsal and ventral anchors, and the MCO’s of the respective species show similar morphological patterns including a large vase-shaped base from which an elongate slightly coiled shaft arises. Haliotrematoides spinatus is differentiated from these species by having an angular bend near the midlength of the shaft of the MCO (compare Figs. 73-78, 132-143, nobis; Fig. 1 in Zhukov 1983).