Sergio R. Martorelli

DESCRIPTION AND PROPOSED LIFE CYCLE OF MARITREMA NOVAEZEALANDENSIS N. SP. (MICROPHALLIDAE) PARASITIC IN RED-BILLED GULLS, LARUS NOVAEHOLLANDIAE SCOPULINUS, FROM OTAGO HARBOR, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Maritrema novaezealandensis n. sp. is described from Otago Harbor, South Island, New Zealand, on the basis of adult specimens collected from the Red-billed gull, Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus, and excysted metacercariae obtained from crabs. It belongs to the “eroliae group” and differs from other related species mainly in the shape, size, and patterns of distributions of the spines on the cirrus, the shape of the metraterm, the presence of an unlobed ovary, and the complete ring of the vitelline follicles. Based on morphometric features of metacercariae and adult specimens, the trophic relationships among invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, experimental infections, and previous reports of species of Maritrema with similar transmission patterns, the life cycle of M. novaezealandensis n. sp. is described. A 3-host life cycle is proposed for this parasite. The first intermediate host is the mud snail, Zeacumantus subcarinatus, in which the cercarial stage is produced in sporocysts located within the gonad of the snail. At least 3 crab species (Hemigrapsus crenulatus, Macrophtalmus hirtipes, and Halicarcinus whitei) and several species of amphipods act as second intermediate hosts, with metacercariae encysted in the body cavity of the crustacean host. Finally, the definitive host, the gull, L. n. scopulinus, harbors the adult worms in its intestine.

Four trematode cercariae from the New Zealand intertidal snail Zeacumantus subcarinatus (Batillariidae)

Abstract The cercariae and sporocysts (or rediae) of four trematode species are described from the intertidal snail Zeacumantus subcarinatus: a distome xiphidiocercaria assigned to the genus Renicola (family Renicolidae); a monostome xiphidiocercaria belonging either to the genus Microphallus or Megalophallus (family Microphallidae); a magnacercous cercaria of the genus Galactosomum (family Hetero‐phyidae); and a cercaria of the genus Philophthalmus (family Philophthalmidae). The morphological features of these cercariae are compared to previously described cercariae of the same genera. In addition, since the philophthalmid cercaria encysts readily on artificial substrates in the laboratory, the metacercaria of this species is also described. These cercariae are part of a diverse community of at least six digenean species parasitising the snail Z. subcarinatus that, together, have a major impact on the ecology and evolution of this snail.

PROPOSED LIFE CYCLE OF ASCAROPHIS MARINA (NEMATODA: CYSTIDICOLIDAE) IN ARGENTINE WATERS

The life history of Ascarophis marina in Argentina is proposed on the basis of morphometric features of larval and adult specimens, as well as of trophic relationships among invertebrate and vertebrate hosts in the same geographic area. Adult and larval specimens of A. marina were found in the alimentary tract of the teleost fishes Parona signata (Carangidae) and Urophycis brasiliensis (Gadidae). Third-stage larvae ocurred in the shrimps Peisos petrunkevitchi (Sergestidae) and Artemesia longinaris (Penaeidae).

Ascarophis marina n. comb. (Nematoda: cystidicolidae) from the fishes Parona signata (Carangidae) and Urophycis brasiliensis (Gadidae) in the southwestern Atlantic.

The taxonomic position of Cystidicola marina Szidat, 1961 is revised, based on the re-examination of type and new specimens collected from the type host, Urophycis brasiliensis (Gadidae), and a new host, Parona signata (Carangidae), in the southwestern Atlantic. The species is redescribed and transferred to Ascarophis as A. marina n. comb. It is distinguished from other species of Ascarophis by the following combination of characters: body length (male: 10.2-22.5 mm, female: 32.8-44.2 mm), number of egg filaments (2 on each pole), egg size (0.030-0.039 mm x 0.015-0.021 mm), and left spicule length (0.4-0.6 mm).

First Record of Encysted Metacercariae in Hydrozoan Jellyfishes and Ctenophores of the Southern Atlantic

Three species of pelagic coelenterates and ctenophores captured in Mar del Plata port, Buenos Aires, Argentina, were examined for digenean parasites. Encysted metacercariae were observed and collected. Cysts were found in the mesoglea of the hydromedusae Phialidium sp. and Liriope tetraphylla, and in the ectenophore Mnemiopsis macradyi. The morphology of the worms resembles that of the lepocreadiid digeneans. This is the first record for a metacercaria encysted in hydromedusae or ctenophores.

Morphological and molecular identification of the fish-borne metacercaria of Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa Ransom, 1920 in Mugil liza from Argentina

This is the first report of Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa Ransom, 1920 (Digenea: Heterophyidae) in Argentina confirmed by morphological and molecular studies. The metacercaria was found encysted in myotomal musculature, heart and mesentery of the mullet Mugil liza (Pisces: Mugilidae) from Samborombon bay. We provide a morphological description of the metacercaria which we identified using species-specific primers for A. (Phagicola) longa and nucleotid sequence. This worldwide parasite has been reported as one of the causative agents of heterophyiosis, an emerging fish-borne disease of humans, contracted by the consumption of raw mullet. The discovery of A. (Phagicola) longa in Argentina represents a warning of the potentially great impact of this parasite on public health.

First report of Paramphistomum leydeni Näsmark, 1937 (Trematoda: Paramphistomidae) in Argentina, and re-examination of Cotylophoron cotylophorum sensu Racioppi et al. (1994)

SummaryCotylophoron cotylophorum and Balanorchis anastrophus are the only amphistomes of ruminants that have been described so far in Argentina. Recent observations suggest that C. cotylophorum could have been misclassified. To confirm this, we examined specimens, collected in Corrientes Province and classified by Racioppi et al. (1994) as Cotylophoron cotylophorum, and re-classified these as Paramphistomum leydeni Näsmark, 1937. Flukes collected from Zárate (Buenos Aires) were also studied and compared against the former, resulting in the same species. The present study reports the existence of P. leydeni in Argentina, modifies the previous classification of C. cotylophorum and suggests that, based on the evidence of the amphistomes described so far, P. leydeni would be the most prevalent species in cattle of Argentina.

Maritrema orensense and Maritrema bonaerense (Digenea: Microphallidae): Descriptions, Life Cycles, and Comparative Morphometric Analyses

Abstract: We elucidate the life cycle of Maritrema orensense for the first time and experimentally confirm that of the sympatric Maritrema bonaerense. In Argentinean estuaries, both species parasitize the cochliopid snail Heleobia australis as first intermediate host, the grapsid crabs Neohelice granulata and Cyrtograpsus angulatus as second intermediate hosts, and gulls as definitive hosts. Here, we describe the daughter sporocysts and cercariae of M. orensense and redescribe these stages for M. bonaerense. Sporocysts of M. orensense are shorter, with fewer developed cercariae than M. bonaerense. The cercariae of M. orensense have longer, larger, and more undulating cephalic glands than M. bonaerense. We redescribe metacercariae and adults of both species and compare them with the previous descriptions. Intestinal ceca length, vitellaria shape and extension, and egg size are the most relevant characteristics in metacercariae and adults for differentiating the species. Hence, the detailed morphological description and comparative analyses of morphometrics obtained from natural and experimental infections permit clear differentiation of M. orensense and M. bonaerense at each life stage.

Larval trematodes infecting the South-American intertidal mud snail Heleobia australis (Rissooidea: Cochliopidae)

Larval trematodes infecting the snail Heleobia australis (Cochliopidae) from the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina were surveyed for two years. A total of 7,504 snail specimens was dissected and the larval stages of 15 different trematodes were recovered and examined morphologically. These larvae included four species that had previously been reported from H. australis in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina: the heterophyid Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa and the microphallids, Maritrema bonaerense, Maritrema orensense, and Microphallus simillimus. Three other species, the echinostomatid Stephanoprora uruguayensis, the microphallid Levinseniella cruzi, and the psilostomid Psilochasmus oxyurus are reported here for the first time as parasites of H. australis. Eight other trematodes found in H. australis are described and placed in the appropriate superfamilies, families or genera (Cryptogonimidae, Apocreadiidae, Aporocotylidae, Notocotylidae, Haploporidae, Renicolidae, Himasthla, and Renicola). The prevalence of the trematode taxa infecting H. australis in the Bahía Blanca estuary was low (<3%) with a single exception (M. simillimus; >20%). Microphallidae were the richest and the most prevalent family, probably because of the high abundance of crabs — the second-intermediate hosts of certain microphallid species — and the considerable diversity of gulls. Here we compare the parasite assemblage found in the H. australis from Bahía Blanca estuary with other parasite assemblages infecting Heleobia spp. and other rissooids from the rest of the world.

Integrative taxonomy of Peniculus, Metapeniculus, and Trifur (Siphonostomatoida: Pennellidae), copepod parasites of marine fishes from Chile: species delimitation analyses using DNA barcoding and morphological evidence

Pennellidae is a family of copepod parasites of widely distributed marine fishes. The pennellid species are usually morphologically differentiated by cephalothorax, neck, trunk, and abdomen shape. These characters, however, show high polymorphism and therefore using only this type of data, delimitation at species level of this genus is difficult. In this study, we explored the genetic distances calculated from sequences of a DNA barcoding marker (COI mt) (678 base pairs). We also explored the genetic distances of 25 Peniculus specimens associated within nine marine fish species, four Metapeniculus specimens associated within one marine fish species, and four Trifur specimens associated within one marine fish species. All specimens were collected in Antofagasta Bay, Chile and were calculated from sequences of a DNA barcoding marker (COI mt) (678 base pairs). The genetic distance among the Peniculus specimens was 0.95% from the different host species, the Metapeniculus specimens distance was 0.44% and the Trifur specimens was 2.25%. Genetic difference between Peniculus and Metapeniculus was 17.86% and Peniculus differ from T. tortuosus by 18.16%. We analysed the barcoding gene fragment using Bayesian Inference (BI) for phylogenetic reconstruction using three outgroups. Based on the phylogenetic analysis an ultrametric tree was built and a general mixed Yule-coalescent (bGMYC) model was conducted for species delimitation. Morphometrics analyses were made with Bayesian statistics. Mean and credibility limit (95%) for each parameter was calculated. Results show that based on morphology the individuals collected can be assigned to P. cf. fistula von Nordmann, 1832, Metapeniculus antofagastensis Castro-Romero & Baeza-Kuroki, 1985, and Trifur cf. tortuosus Wilson, 1917. High morphological polymorphism was observed for the lineage of Peniculus associated to several host species of marine fishes. Similar results were obtained for Trifur cf. tortuosus parasites on Chilean marine fishes.