skip to main content


Title: A revision of the Rhoptrobothriidae (Cestoda: “Tetraphyllidea”)
The Rhoptrobothriidae are one of the more enigmatic families of cestodes of elasmobranchs. Opinions on the taxonomic status of the family’s three original genera (i.e., Myzophyllobothrium, Rhoptrobothrium, and Myzocephalus) have varied over the 115 years since they were erected. Some authors have considered all three valid, others have considered Rhoptrobothrium to be a synonym of Myzopyllobothrium or a genus inquirendum, yet others have considered Myzocephalus to be a synonym of the phyllobothriid genus Thysanocephalum. All three genera were established for specimens collected from eagle rays off Sri Lanka. The erection of Mixophyllobothrium for two specimens from a cowtail stingray off India three decades ago added additional confusion to the situation, with some authors considering it valid and others a synonym of Myzocephalus. These disagreements stem largely from differences in interpretation of the complex morphology of the scolex of members of these genera. Furthermore, with the exception of Rhoptrobothrium comprising four species, each genus is monotypic. All but Rhoptrobothrium has not been considered in detail for nearly a century, largely because of a lack of available material. The taxonomic status of these genera is assessed here based on light and scanning electron microscopy, and molecular data generated from new material collected from eagle rays off Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam. Morphological work indicates that the genera differ largely only in the degree of folding of the four remi that extend from the cephalic peduncle. A molecular phylogeny based on sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rRNA gene, which include new data for eight specimens of four species, indicates that Myzophyllobothrium, Myzocephalus, and Rhoptrobothrium are not mutually monophyletic. The latter two genera and Mixophyllobothrium are considered synonyms of Myzophyllobothrium and five species are transferred to that genus. Myzophyllobothrium okamuri n. comb. is considered a species inquirendum. Myzophyllobothrium nagasawai n. sp. is described from Aetobatus narutobiei off Japan. Myzophyllobothrium narinari n. comb. is re-described based on newly collected cestodes from the type host and locality (i.e., Aetobatus ocellatus off Sri Lanka). Despite consisting of only a single genus, the family status of the group is retained in recognition of the unusual configuration of the scolex, which bears four biloculate bothridia and four remi extending from the cephalic peduncle. The ordinal placement of the family remains uncertain, but affinities with the Phyllobothriidea, rather than “Tetraphyllidea” are considered.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1921404 1921411
NSF-PAR ID:
10338115
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Zootaxa
Volume:
4999
Issue:
3
ISSN:
1175-5326
Page Range / eLocation ID:
201 to 218
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Abstract

    Alaria, Didelphodiplostomum and Pharyngostomoides are among genera of diplostomid digeneans known to parasitize mammalian definitive hosts. Despite numerous recent molecular phylogenetic studies of diplostomids, limited DNA sequence data is available from diplostomids parasitic in mammals. Herein, we provide the first 28S rDNA and cox1 mtDNA sequences from morphologically identified, adult specimens of Didelphodiplostomum and Pharyngostomoides. Newly generated 28S sequences were used to infer the phylogenetic interrelationships of these two genera among other major lineages of diplostomoideans. The phylogeny based on 28S and a review of morphology clearly suggests that Pharyngostomoides should be considered a junior synonym of Alaria, while Didelphodiplostomum should be considered a junior synonym of Tylodelphys. Pharyngostomoides procyonis (type species), Pharyngostomoides adenocephala and Pharyngostomoides dasyuri were transferred into Alaria as Alaria procyonis comb. nov., Alaria adenocephala comb. nov. and Alaria dasyuri comb. nov.; Didelphodiplostomum variabile (type species) and Didelphodiplostomum nunezae were transferred into Tylodelphys as Tylodelphys variabilis comb. nov. and Tylodelphys nunezae comb. nov. In addition, Alaria ovalis comb. nov. (formerly included in Pharyngostomoides) was restored and transferred into Alaria based on a morphological study of well-fixed, adult specimens and the comparison of cox1 DNA sequences among Alaria spp. The diplostomid genus Parallelorchis was restored based on review of morphology.

     
    more » « less
  2. Alaria, Didelphodiplostomum and Pharyngostomoides are among genera of diplostomid digeneans known to parasitize mammalian definitive hosts. Despite numerous recent molecular phylogenetic studies of diplostomids, limited DNA sequence data is available from diplostomids parasitic in mammals. Herein, we provide the first 28S rDNA and cox1 mtDNA sequences from morphologically identified, adult specimens of Didelphodiplostomum and Pharyngostomoides. Newly generated 28S sequences were used to infer the phylogenetic interrelationships of these two genera among other major lineages of diplostomoideans. The phylogeny based on 28S and a review of morphology clearly suggests that Pharyngostomoides should be considered a junior synonym of Alaria, while Didelphodiplostomum should be considered a junior synonym of Tylodelphys. Pharyngostomoides procyonis (type species), Pharyngostomoides adenocephala and Pharyngostomoides dasyuri were transferred into Alaria as Alaria procyonis comb. nov., Alaria adenocephala comb. nov. and Alaria dasyuri comb. nov.; Didelphodiplostomum variabile (type species) and Didelphodiplostomum nunezae were transferred into Tylodelphys as Tylodelphys variabilis comb. nov. and Tylodelphys nunezae comb. nov. In addition, Alaria ovalis comb. nov. (formerly included in Pharyngostomoides) was restored and transferred into Alaria based on a morphological study of wellfixed, adult specimens and the comparison of cox1 DNA sequences among Alaria spp. The diplostomid genus Parallelorchis was restored based on review of morphology. 
    more » « less
  3. Worsaae, Katrine (Ed.)
    The three members of the lecanicephalidean tapeworm family Eniochobothriidae are unusual among tapeworms in that they lack a vagina and possess a series of expanded proglottids forming a trough at the anterior end of their body. They exclusively parasitise cownose rays of the genus Rhinoptera (Myliobatiformes: Rhinopteridae). New collections from six of the nine known species of cownose rays from the waters off Australia, Mexico, Mozambique, Senegal, Taiwan and the United States (off Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina) yielded eight new species and a new genus of eniochobothriids. Here we erect Amiculucestus, gen. nov. and describe six of the eight new species – four in the new genus and two in Eniochobothrium – expanding the number of genera in the family to two and the number of described species in the family to nine. Morphological work was based on light and scanning electron microscopy. The tree resulting from a maximum likelihood analysis of sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rDNA gene for 11 species of eniochobothriids supports the reciprocal monophyly of both genera. The mode of attachment to the mucosal surface of the spiral intestine of the host was investigated using histological sections of worms in situ. These cestodes appear to use the anterior trough-like portion of their body, which consists of an unusual series of barren proglottids, rather than their scolex, to attach to the mucosal surface. Based on our new collections, we estimate that the total number of eniochobothriids across the globe does not exceed 27 species. ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0740EC72‐AC3F‐43AA‐BD41‐B9820BA9D0CE 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract Three new cestode species are described from the crocodile shark ( Pseudocarcharias kamoharai ) in Ecuador. All three were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. The unique combination of morphological features in one of the new species prompted formal investigation of the non-monophyly of Paraorygmatobothrium relative to the morphologically similar genera Doliobothrium , Guidus , Marsupiobothrium , Nandocestus , Orectolobicestus , Ruhnkecestus and Scyphophyllidium . Sequence data generated for part of the 28S rDNA gene were subjected to maximum likelihood (ML) analysis. The resulting tree led to the synonymization of six of these seven genera with Scyphophyllidium , and transfer of their species to the latter genus. With the new species, the number of described members of Scyphophyllidium is now 45. The diagnosis of Scyphophyllidium is revised to accommodate these species. In addition, to expedite future descriptions, eight categories of Scyphophyllidium species are circumscribed, based largely on bothridial features. Scyphophyllidium timvickiorum n. sp. is a category 1 species. Beyond being the smallest category 1 species, it bears, rather than lacks, apical suckers and lacks, rather than bears, strobilar scutes. The two other new species are members of Clistobothrium . Clistobothrium amyae n. sp. differs from its congeners in bothridial shape, elongate cephalic peduncle and tiny size. Clistobothrium gabywalterorum n. sp. differs from the two of its congeners that also possess foliose bothridia in overall size and testis number. Despite their substantial morphological differences, the ML tree indicates they are sister taxa. Both are unique among their congeners in possessing cephalic peduncle spinitriches. The diagnosis of Clistobothrium is revised accordingly. 
    more » « less
  5. null (Ed.)
    Two new species of the cestode genus Caulobothrium, collected from the duckbill eagle ray, Aetomylaeus bovinus, off Senegal, are described. Although postulated as sister taxa in an earlier molecular phylogenetic analysis, Caulobothrium multispelaeum n. sp. and Caulobothrium katzi n. sp., respectively, are among the smallest and largest members of the genus. The smaller species is unique among its congeners in possessing unusual medial longitudinal grooves along the dorsal and ventral surfaces of its strobila that develop into a tandem series of elliptical apertures on the posterior proglottids. The inner surfaces of these apertures stained positively with McManus’ periodic acid Schiff in a manner similar to that seen in members of the distantly related lecanicephalidean genus Elicilacunosus. The larger species differs from its congeners in size, number of proglottids, and arrangement of bothridial loculi. Both new species were found to possess a small apical sucker on the anterior margin of each of their bothridia. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and frontal sections of a bothridium of Caulobothrium tetrascaphium suggests that this species also bears an apical sucker. Examination of the hologenophore of the species provisionally referred to as Caulobothrium n. sp. 5 in the earlier molecular analysis indicates it is conspecific with the recently described Caulobothrium pedunculatum, which was also determined to possess bothridial apical suckers. This leads us to suspect that this feature may be found to occur in all members of the genus. SEM of specimens of Caulobothrium for the first time indicates their bothridial surfaces are covered with filitriches of various sizes but lack spinitriches; spinitriches were seen only on the cephalic peduncle of C. katzi n. sp. The geographic distribution and host associations of Caulobothrium are expanded to include data now available for all species. The diagnosis of the genus is revised to include all of this information. 
    more » « less