Unilatus irae sp. nov. (Dactylogyridae) is described from the gills of the armored catfish, Leporacanthicus galaxias Isbrücker et Nijssen (Loricariidae: Ancistrinae), from Guamá river, Pará State, Brazil. The new species can be differentiated from its cogeneners by the combination of the following features: anterior anchor with well-developed superficial root, inconspicuous deep root, shaft bent at midpoint, forming angle of approximately 60º, evenly short curved point; posterior anchor with inconspicuous roots, sclerotized cap of base with small protuberance for articulation to posterior bar; evenly curved shaft and short point; anterior bar broadly V-shaped, with small posteromedial projection; and posterior bar anteriorly expanded on it midportion, with expanded ends slightly curved in posterior direction.
Two new monogenoidean species of Unilatus Mizelle & Kritsky, 1967 found in the gills of loricariids in the Lower Xingu-Iriri rivers are described: Unilatus humboldtii sp. nov. from Baryancistrus niveatus (Castelnau, 1855), Panaque armbrusteri Lujan, Hidalgo & Stewart, 2010, Pseudacanthicus sp. (type-host), and Scobinancistrus aureatus Burgess, 1994; and Unilatus luciarappae sp. nov. from P. armbrusteri. Unilatus humboldtii sp. nov. is distinguished from other congeneric species due to its anterior anchor with well-developed superficial root with depressed or truncated distal portion, and inconspicuous or reduced deep root; anterior bar with posteromedial projection; hooks of pair 1 with dilated shaft comprising 2/3 of the hook length; spiraled male copulatory organ with approximately 16–18 counterclockwise loops. Unilatus luciarappae sp. nov. is characterized by having anterior anchor with well-developed superficial root and reduced deep root, slightly curved shaft, elongated, slightly curved, and tapered point; spiraled MCO with approximately 18–19 counterclockwise loops, with median distal bulbous portion and remaining portion tapered and elongated, comprising 1/4 of the body length; and accessory piece comprising approximately 2/3 of the MCO length. More than fifty years after the description of the type species of Unilatus from an artificial environment (U.S. aquaria), this study represents the first formal record and description of Unilatus species from hosts collected in natural habitats in the Xingu River. Considering the impact of the Belo Monte dam on the formerly pristine conditions of the study region and the importance of loricariids for the ornamental fish trade, we recommend monitoring monogenoidean diversity, parasite-host interaction, as well as the dispersion patterns and pathogenicity of these parasites.
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