Description of a New Digenean (Zoogonidae) Genus and Species from Sub-Antarctic Fish Patagonotothen tessellata

Abstract

Whitegonimus ozoufae n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Zoogonidae) is reported from the stomach of Patagonotothen tessellata in the harbor of Ushuaia in the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) at a depth of 7–9 m. The female genital system structure indicates the new taxon belongs in the subfamily Lepidophyllinae (Zoogonidae). None of the genera previously described is similar to the new genus. The most important taxonomic features are the spined tegument, lack of enlarged circumoral spines, gonads arranged in tandem, long caeca, vitelline follicles extending from the level of the ventral sucker to the posterior end of anterior testis, and a Y-shaped excretory vesicle. Only 3 genera, Overstreetia, Anarhichotrema, and Pseudopalaeorchis, have testes arranged in tandem, but they differ from the new genus in possessing enlarged circumoral spines, oral sucker size, esophagus length, length of caeca, vitellaria restricted to hindbody, the form of the ovary, and an I-shaped excretory vesicle.

A review of the Zoogonidae (Digenea: Microphalloidea) from fishes of the waters around New Caledonia, with the description ofOverstreetia cribbin. sp.

“…Since the key was produced two further zoogonid genera have been described with tandem testes, Whitegonimus Jeżewski, Zdzitowiecki & Laskowski, 2009 and Oesophagotrema Chaari, Derbel & Neifar, 2011 (Jeżewski, Zdzitowiecki & Laskowski, 2009; Chaari, Derbel & Neifar, 2011). Only Overstreetia is known to exhibit enlarged circum-oral spines.…”

Digenea in notothenioid fish in the Beagle Channel (Magellanic sub-region, sub-Antarctica)

“…Previously, it was recorded at shelves and in the fjord at South Georgia (Lyadov 1985;Rodjuk 1985;Zdzitowiecki 1991;Zdzitowiecki and White 1992) and in the Kerguelen sub-region at the Kerguelen Island, Ob Bank and Lena Bank (Prudhoe and Bray 1973;Parukhin and Lyadov 1981;Parukhin and Zaitsev 1984;Lyadov 1985;Parukhin 1986;1989). Jeżewski, Zdzitowiecki et Laskowski, 2009 (Table II) Host: Patagonotothen tessellata (type host). Date of collection: January 25 2002.…”

“…The present report is based on the examination of other notothenioid fish caught in the Beagle Channel. Three digenean species Whitegonimus ozoufae Jeżewski et al 2009, Neolepidapedoides subantarcticus Jeżewski et al 2011 and Macvicaria magellanica Laskowski et al 2013, were found to be new and were described separately. One further species, Stenakron kerguelense Prudhoe et Bray, 1973, is presently re-described and morphologically documented.…”

Lecithostaphylus tylosuri sp. nov. (Digenea, Zoogonidae) from the digestive tract of the needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Teleostei, Belonidae)

“…This family includes at least 77 nominal species (Brooks 1990) and 32 valid genera (Bray 2008, Jezewski et al 2009, Châari et al 2011. The taxonomic status of this family has been discussed by Bray 1987 and was subdivided into two subfamilies, the Zoogoninae Odhner, 1902and the Lepidophyllinae Stossich, 1903.…”