Beluesca littlewoodi, Miller, Terrence L. & Cribb, Thomas H., 2007

Miller, Terrence L. & Cribb, Thomas H., 2007, Two new cryptogonimid genera Beluesca n. gen. and Chelediadema n. gen. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) from tropical Indo-West Pacific Haemulidae (Perciformes), Zootaxa 1543, pp. 45-60 : 49

Beluesca littlewoodi n. sp.

( Figs 1–3 )

Type host: Plectorhinchus gibbosus (Lacepède) .

Type locality: Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef (14°40’S; 145°27’E), Queensland, Australia.

Site: Intestine and pyloric caeca.

Prevalence: 1 of 1 (100%) at Lizard Island, 0 of 5 at Heron Island.

Deposited specimens: holotype G227654, eleven paratypes G227655–G227665.

Etymology: The epithet littlewoodi is in honour of Dr Tim Littlewood, in recognition of his contributions to platyhelminth systematics.

Description: Based on 12 specimens. Body elongate, longer than wide, 2083 (1744–2472) long by 285 (240–368) wide; length/width ratio 7.4 (6.7–8.7). Oral sucker funnel-shaped, 234 (202–273) long by 207 (182–250) wide. Oral spines 21 (20–22), length 51 (40–64). Ventral sucker 91 (78–111) long by 108 (91– 127) wide. Ratio oral/ventral sucker width 1.9 (1.6–2.2). Forebody occupying 52 (48–58)% of body length. Prepharynx 127 (59–182) long. Pharynx 68 (55–78) long by 67 (59–75) wide. Ventral sucker/pharynx width ratio 1.6 (1.4–1.8). Oesophagus 304 (241–384) long. Intestinal bifurcation at mid-forebody, well anterior to ventral sucker. Intestinal caeca blind, 1227 (1024–1456) long, terminate close to posterior end of body. Testes two, opposite to slightly oblique, in mid- to anterior hindbody, 181 (137–247) long by 116 (94–137) wide. Seminal vesicle tubulosaccular, between testes and ventral sucker. Genital pore immediately anterior to ventral sucker. Ovary deeply lobed 145 (114–189) long by 131 (104–182) wide, ventral to or immediately anterior to testes. Laurer’s canal present. Seminal receptacle tubulosaccular, posterior to ovary, may extend well posterior to testes. Vitelline follicles in two lateral groups, extend from level of ovary to midway between ventral sucker and intestinal bifurcation. Uterine coils restricted to hindbody, extend from posterior end of body to ventral sucker. Eggs small, darkly tanned, 17 (16–21) long by 9 (7–10) wide. Excretory vesicle Yshaped, bifurcates dorsal to ovary; arms extend anterior to pharynx, 1746 (1456–2064) long.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Beluesca littlewoodi n. sp. from the intestine of Plectorhinchus gibbosus off Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. 1. Ventral view of holotype. 2. Ventral view of paratype G 227655. 3. Lateral view of an oral spine from the paratype, illustrating curvature. Scale bar for figures 1 and 2 = 500 Μm.