Philometra pellucida ( Jaegerskioeld , 1893) Yorke & Maplestone, 1926

Gonzalez-Solis, David, Soler-Jimenez, Lilia C., Aguirre-Macedo, M. Leopoldina, McLaughlin, John P., Shaw, Jenny C., James, Anna K., Hechinger, Ryan F., Kuris, Armand M., Lafferty, Kevin D. & Vidal-Martinez, Victor M., 2019, Parasitic nematodes of marine fishes from Palmyra Atoll, East Indo-Pacific, including a new species of Spinitectus (Nematoda, Cystidicolidae), ZooKeys 892, pp. 1-26 : 1

Philometra pellucida ( Jaegerskioeld, 1893) Yorke & Maplestone, 1926

Description.

Gravid female (3 specimens, measurements of 3 subgravid females in parentheses): large, yellowish nematodes, 111.42-140.70 (37.84-48.64) mm long, 0.94-3.29 (0.336-0.649) mm wide, with smooth cuticle and both ends rounded. Esophagus with anterior bulbous inflation, 220-267 (147-181) long and 163-182 (130-162) wide, with spacious lumen. Esophagus 1.59-2.06 (1.41-1.50) mm long, with dorsal esophageal gland not well demarcated, extended anteriorly to level of nerve ring. Esophageal gland with cell nucleus located at mid-length, at 0.915-1.07 (-) mm from anterior extremity. Small ventriculus 80-111 (50-80) long and 79-142 (75-85) wide, opening into intestine through valve. Nerve ring encircling esophagus just posterior to its anterior bulb, 279-407 (239-246) from anterior body end. Deirids and excretory pore not visible. Intestine brownish, straight and almost reaching the posterior end of body, forming ligament 325-690 (547-594) long, attached to the body wall near the caudal end. Ovaries extending near both ends of body. Uterus filled with larval mass (in gravid females) and developing embryos and eggs (in subgravid females). Larvae from uterus 345-492 long, with elongated tail. Posterior end of body rounded.

Host.

Arothron hispidus .

Site of infection.

Body cavity.

Prevalence and mean intensity.

40 and 20.8 ± 31.4 (n = 15).

Specimens deposited.

CHCM no. 634 (voucher) (1 vial, 1 specimen ♀).

Remarks.

Due to the presence of the anterior inflation of the esophagus, weakly demarcated esophageal gland, its occurrence in the body cavity of a congeneric fish host ( A. hispidus ) and close geographical region (Southeastern Pacific Ocean), these females were identified as P. pellucida . Gravid females showed similar morphometric features than those reported by Jägerskiöld (1893, 1894). They represent new host ( A. hispidus ) and geographical records (Palmyra Atoll).