Two new feather mites of the genus Trouessartia Canestrini, 1899 (Acariformes: Trouessartiidae) from tyrant flycatchers (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) in Argentina

Two new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae) are described from tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) in Argentina: Trouessartia salvadori sp. nov. from the White-crested Tyrannulet Serpophaga subcristata (Vieillot) and T. gonzalezacunai sp. nov. from the Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus (Boddaert). Trouessartia salvadori sp. nov. is close to T. longiducta Hernandes et Valim, 2015 and most clearly differs from the latter in having, in males, the genital apparatus with wedge-shaped hyaline extensions and the anterior genital papillae situated more distant from the midline than posterior ones, and in females, setae h1 not extending beyond the margin of the interlobar membrane, and the posterior part of the hysteronotal shield bearing well outlined ovate lacunae except in the narrow median area. Trouessartia gonzalezacunai sp. nov. is similar to T. savanae Hernandes, 2014, but is distinguished from that species in having, in males, the terminal lamellae shaped as a fishtail, the epiandrum shaped as a goblet, the apophyses of adanal apodemes represented by thick spine-like tubercles, and in females, setae h1 minute spiculiform about 10 long, and the external copulatory tube shaped as a small rounded tubercle near the margin of interlobar membrane.

TWO NEW SPECIES OF THE FEATHER MITE GENUS TROUESSARTIA (ACARIFORMES: TROUESSARTIIDAE) FROM ROBINS AND CHATS (PASSERIFORMES: MUSCICAPIDAE) IN THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST

Two new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae) are described from passerine birds in Primorsky Krai (Russian Far East): Trouessartia calliope sp. n. from the Siberian Rubythroat Calliope calliope (Linnaeus) and T. larvivorae sp. n. from the Rufous-tailed Robin Larvivora sibilans (Swinhoe) (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae). Both new species are close to T. swidwiensis Jablonska, 1968 associated with nightingales of the genus Luscinia (Linnaeus) (Muscicapidae) in having the prohysteronotal and lobar parts of the hysteronotal shield not separated in males and in having setae h1 situated on large ovate non-sclerotized areas and in the absence of the external copulatory tube in females.

A NEW SPECIES OF THE FEATHER MITE GENUS TROUESSARTIA (ACARIFORMES: TROUESSARTIIDAE) FROM THE TRISTRAM’S BUNTING EMBERIZA TRISTRAMI (PASSERIFORMES: EMBERIZIDAE) IN THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST

A new feather mite species, Trouessartia emberizae sp. n., is described from the Tristram’s Bunting, Emberiza tristrami Swinhoe (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) in the Primorye Territory (Russian Far East). The new species is close to T. jedliczkai (Zimmermann) and T. motacillae Dubinin, associated with wagtails (Motacillidae: Motacilla) and most clearly differs from them in the following features: in males, the hysteronotal shield is entire and the genital apparatus is narrow, parallel-sided and strongly convex dorsally; in females, the external copulatory tube is stylet-like and extends beyond the level of setae h3, and the head of the spermatheca has a short smooth collar. This is the first description of a Trouessartia species from a host of the family of buntings (Emberizidae).

Feather mites of the genus Trouessartia (Acariformes: Trouessartiidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Georgia, USA

Ten new species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia Canestrini, 1899 (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae) are described from various passerines of the superfamily Passeroidea in Georgia: Trouessartia americana sp. n. from Setophaga americana (Linnaeus), T. helmitheros sp. n. from Helmitheros vermivorum (Gmelin, JF), T. mniotilta sp. n. from Mniotilta varia (Linnaeus), T. pensylvanica sp. n. from Setophaga pensylvanica (Linnaeus) (type host) and S. palmarum (Gmelin, JF), T. ruticilla sp. n. from S. ruticilla (Linnaeus), T. seiurus sp. n. from Seiurus aurocapilla (Linnaeus), T. tigrina sp. n. from Setophaga tigrina (Gmelin, JF) (Parulidae), T. passerinae sp. n. from Passerina caerulea (Linnaeus) (type host) and P. cyanea (Linnaeus), T. ciris sp. n. from P. ciris (Linnaeus) (Cardinalidae), and T. spizellae sp. n. from Spizella passerina (Bechstein) (Passerellidae). Based on a specific combination of morphological characters, all new species and six previously known species are arranged into a new species group capensis in the genus Trouessartia. The most important diagnostic characters of this species group include: in both sexes, the dorsal hysterosomal apertures are absent; in males, the postgenital plaque is well developed and genital setae g have cylindrical articulation rings; in females, the external copulatory tube is straight, stylet- or finger-like, and situated on the margin of the interlobar membrane, and the head of spermatheca has a semi-ovate extension without indentations. A key to all species referred to the capensis group is provided and host associations of this group with passerines are summarized and briefly discussed. It is hypothesized that this species group originated on the ancestors of New World nine-primaried oscines (Emberizoidea) and diverged in close relation with this group of hosts.

Feather mites (Acariformes: Analgoidea) associated with the hairy woodpecker Leuconotopicus villosus (Piciformes: Picidae) in Panama

Two new feather mite species of the superfamily Analgoidea are described from the hairy woodpecker Leuconotopicus villosus (Linnaeus, 1766) (Piciformes: Picidae) in Panama: Pterotrogus panamensis sp. n. (Pteronyssidae) and Trouessartia hernandesi sp. n. (Trouessartiidae). Pterotrogus panamensis belongs to the simplex species group and most clearly differs from the other species of this group in having the pregenital sclerite paired in males, and the hysteronotal shields strongly narrowed posteriorly in females. Trouessartia hernandesi is close to T. picumni Hernandes, 2014, the only previously known species of this genus from woodpeckers, and differs from the latter by having the following features: in both sexes, setae d1 and d2 are present and genual setae cGI, cGII and mGI are spiculiform; in males, epimerites IVa are long, bow-shaped and extend to the base of the genital apparatus; in females, the external copulatory tube is long and spiculiform.

Two new species of Annulotrema (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) from Hydrocynus vittatus (Characiformes: Alestidae) in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Two new and one known species of Annulotrema Paperna & Thurston, 1969 are reported from the gills of the tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus Castelnau, 1861, collected in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. The new species, Annulotrema pseudonili n. sp. and A. bracteatum n. sp., are described and distinguished mainly on the basis of features of the male copulatory organ (MCO). Annulotrema pseudonili n. sp. most closely resembles A. nili Paperna, 1973, but differs from it by possessing a more delicate MCO with a thin-walled base without a fibrous distal part. Annulotrema bracteatum n. sp. is most similar to Annulotrema ruahae Paperna, 1973, from which it differs by having an MCO composed of a longer copulatory tube and a leaf-shaped accessory piece enveloping the distal part of the tube. The presence of Annulotrema pikoides Guégan, Lambert & Birgi, 1988 on H. vittatus in Zimbabwe represents a new locality record for this parasite.

Teraplectanumn. g. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from the banded grunter fish,Terapon therapsCuvier (Perciformes: Terapontidae), off Peninsular Malaysia

A new genus of the Monogenea,Teraplectanumn. g., is proposed for two new species of diplectanids found on the gills ofTerapon therapsCuvier collected off Carey Island, Peninsular Malaysia. The genus is based on a unique arrangement of the male reproductive system. In the new species spermatozoa stored in the seminal vesicle and secretions stored in the prostatic reservoir are transferred into, and mixed to form semen within, a special sclerotized auxiliary piece (SAP), and not within the copulatory tube as occurs in the majority of monogeneans.Teraplectanumspecies also possess a unique sclerotized vaginal loop through which the vaginal tube passes en route from the vaginal pore to the seminal receptacle. The two new species areTeraplectanum crassitubusn. sp. (type species) andT. angustitubusn. sp. They differ from each other mainly in the morphology of their copulatory tube: inT. crassitubus,the proximal region of this tube is thicker compared to the slender proximal region inT. angustitubus, although in both cases the tube tapers and twists distally. Of the known diplectanid species, onlyDiplectanum undulicirrosumZhanget al., 2000 (currently consideredincertae sedis) possesses such sclerotized hard parts, which suggests the same type of arrangement of the male reproductive system. Consequently,D. undulicirrosumis re-assigned to this new genus asTeraplectanum undulicirrosum(Zhanget al., 2000) n. comb. The copulatory tube ofT. undulicirrosumis similar to the slender, undulating copulatory tube ofT. angustitubusbut does not taper distally as in the latter species.

A new species of Myxinidocotyle (Monogenea: Acanthocotylidae: Myxinidocotylinae) from captive sixgill hagfish, Eptatretus hexatrema (Chordata: Myxinidae), with amendment of the subfamily diagnosis

Myxinidocotyle eptatreti n. sp. is described from the skin of the sixgill hagfish, Eptatretus hexatrema collected for exhibition at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa. The new species is the first acanthocotylid described from South Africa and differs significantly from the only two known Myxinidocotyle species by the morphology of the sclerotised male copulatory tube and the presence of a diverticulated intestinal caecum. The subfamily diagnosis is amended to include a single seminal receptacle, found within the anterior concave portion of the ovary and excludes the vaginal seminis receptaculum which is considered the seminal vesicle. The vagina travels ventrally over the seminal vesicle and does not fuse with it bilaterally as originally proposed by Malmberg & Fernholm (1989). Myxinidocotyle spp. possess 8 or 9 testes. The proximal male accessory gland reservoirs are connected by an intricate network of fine ducts to the field of extensive male accessory gland cells extending along the length of the body proper. Observations on the locomotion and attachment of live worms in vitro are discussed and the presence of adhesive secretions is confirmed for the haptoral glands and anterior glands.

STUDIES ON TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS: II. TIMES OF FINAL MOLT, SPERMATOZOA FORMATION, OVULATION, AND INSEMINATION

An experimental study of Trichinella spiralis was made in white mice and white rats to determine the times of the final molt, free spermatozoa formation, ovulation, and insemination.The following results were obtained. In mice, the final molt began in about 27 hours and was completed at 33 hours after infection. Free spermatozoa were formed, in mice, at the 26th hour after infection. Ovulation was found to occur at the 37th hour after infection in mice and at the 30th hour in rats. Insemination occurred at the 37th hour after infection in mice and at the 32nd hour in rats. Ovulation and insemination were independent processes. The copulatory tube may be a modified structure of the cuticular lining of the cloaca.