The helminthological examination of nine individuals of Aetobatus cf. narinari (spotted eagle ray; raya pinta; arraia pintada) revealed the presence of an undescribed species of cestode of the genus Acanthobothrium. The stingrays were collected from four locations in México: Laguna Términos, south of Isla del Carmen and the marine waters north of Isla del Carmen and Champotón, in the State of Campeche, and Isla Holbox, State of Quintana Roo. The new species, nominated Acanthobothrium marquesi, is a category 3 species (i.e, the strobila is long, has more than 50 proglottids, the numerous testicles greater than 80, and has asymmetrically-lobed ovaries); at the present, the only category 3 species that has been reported in the Western Atlantic Ocean is Acanthobothrium tortum. Acanthobothrium marquesi n. sp. can be distinguished from A. tortum by length (26.1 cm vs. 10.6 cm), greater number of proglottids (1,549 vs. 656), a larger scolex (707 µm long by 872 µm wide vs. 699 µm long by 665 µm wide), larger bothridia (626 µm long by 274 µm wide vs. 563 µm long by 238 µm wide). This is the first report of a species of Acanthobothrium from the Mexican coast of the Gulf México.

In this study, the developmental expression pattern of myostatin (mstn) in the spotted rose snapper Lutjanus guttatus under culture conditions is presented. The full coding sequence of mstn from L. guttatus was isolated from muscle tissue, obtaining 1134 nucleotides which encode a peptide of 377 amino acids. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that this sequence corresponds to mstn-1. mstn expression was detected in embryonic stages, and maintained at low levels until 28 days post-hatch, when it showed a significant increase, coinciding with the onset of metamorphosis. After that, expression was fluctuating, coinciding probably with periods of rapid and slow muscle growth or individual growth rates. mstn expression was also analysed by body mass with higher levels detected in smaller animals, irrespective of age. mstn was also expressed in other tissues from L. guttatus, presenting higher levels in brain, eye and gill. In brain for instance, two variants of mstn were isolated, both coding sequences were identical to muscle, except that one of them contained a 75 nucleotide deletion in exon 1, maintaining the reading frame but deleting two conserved cysteine residues. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this brain variant was also mstn-1. The function of this variant is not clear and needs further investigation. These results indicate that mstn-1 participates in different physiological processes other than muscle growth in fishes.

Eight specimens of Urobatis jamaicensis were collected from four localities of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, of which four specimens were infected with cestodes of two new species of Acanthobothrium. Acanthobothrium garciaprietoisp. nov. differs from congeners by a combination of characters including the size of the scolex and bothridia, length of the cephalic peduncle, length of the axial and abaxial prongs and total length of the abaxial prongs of the hooks, size of the cirrus sac and testes in mature proglottids, and the total number of proglottids. The most prominent characteristic distinguishing A. pulidofloresaesp. nov. from other species of the Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea/Gulf of Mexico is the form of the scolex, which has the “clover leaf” configuration. In addition, it can be distinguished by the total length of the worm, total number of proglottids, small accessory suckers, the form of the bothridia, length of the axial and abaxial prongs and total abaxial prong length of hooks, and the number of testes. According to the current category scheme, A. garciaprietoisp. nov. and A. pulidofloresaesp. nov., belong to categories 1 and 5, respectively.

Resumen. Como parte de un estudio sobre los helmintos parásitos de rayas (Elasmobranchii), se colectaron 12 ejemplares en 3 localidades del estado de Veracruz, México: Laguna de Tamiahua, Laguna de Tampamachoco y un arrecife de la costa del golfo de México. Se encontraron metacercarias identificadas como parásitos accidentales del tipo Paramonilicaecum (Digenea: Didymozoidae) en la válvula espiral de Dasyatis say (raya látigo chata), Gymnura micrura (raya cola de rata) y Rhinobatus lentiginosus (guitarra diablito). De manera complementaria, se actualizó la identificación de material perteneciente a Didymozoidae depositado en la Colección Nacional de Helmintos en el Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Éste es el primer registro para México de metacercarias del tipo Paramonilicaecum en rayas.Palabras clave: Didymozoidae, metacercaria, Elasmobranchii, Veracruz, Jalisco, México, Costa-Rica.Abstract. During an ongoing study of the helminths of stingrays (Elasmobranchii), 12 stingrays were collected from 3 localities in the state of Veracruz, Mexico: Laguna de Tamiahua, Laguna de Tampamachoco, and a costal reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Metacercarias were collected from the spiral valves of Dasyatis say (bluntnose stingray), Gymnura micrura (lesser butterfly ray), and Rhinobatus lentiginosus (Atlantic guitarfish). The metacercarias, accidental parasites, were assigned to type Paramonilicaecum (Digenea: Didymozoidae). Material (Didymozoidae) previously deposited in the Colección Nacional de Helmintos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, was re-identified. This is the first report of a species in larval phase of the "Type" Paramonilicaecum from the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz, and the first report from a Mexican stingray.