Comparative Parasitology 67(1) 2000 - Peru State College

Mediorhynchus orientalis Belopol'skaya,
1953 was originally described from juvenile
specimens collected from a little ringed plover,
Charadrius duhius curonicm Gmelin, 1789, in
Russia. Schmidt and Kuntz (1977) subsequently
redescribed the species from numerous adults
and juveniles collected from 10 species of passeriform
birds and a Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis
fulva (Gmelin, 1789); (as Charadrius
dominions fulvus), from Taiwan, Borneo, and
Hawaii. Mediorhynchus wardi Schmidt and
Canaris, 1967 was described from numerous
adult specimens collected from 4 species of passeriform
birds in Njoro, Kenya.
Forty-five species of Mediorhynchus were recorded
as valid in Amin's (1985) list of Acanthocephala.
Two additional species not included
in Amin's list were apparently described during
its preparation (George and Nadakal, 1984).
Five of these have the cystacanths described.
Cystacanths of Mediorhynchus petrochenkoi
Gvosdev and Soboleva, 1966, were described by
Lisitsina and Tkach (1994); of Mediorhynchus
centurorum Nickol, 1969 by Nickol (1977); and
of Mediorhynchus grandis Van Cleave, 1916 by
Moore (1962). Brief descriptions of the cystacanth
stage of Mediorhynchus papillosus Van
Cleave, 1916, were provided by Ivashkin and
Shmitova (1969) and Gafurov (1975), and of
Mediorhynchus micracanthus (Rudolphi, 1819)
Meyer, 1933 by Rizhikov and Dizer (1954).
Cystacanths of Mediorhynchus orientalis
were reported from opportunistically infected
Surinam cockroaches, Pycnoscelis surinamensis
(Linnaeus, 1758) (Blaberidae) at the National
Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
(Bolette, 1990). These cockroaches occurred
within a free-flight exhibit that housed a variety
of birds originating from various geographical
localities. This method of housing most likely
contributed to the accidental introduction of M.
orientalis into the enclosure. The following description
of M. orientalis cystacanths is based on
9 everted specimens, 1 male and 8 females, collected
from the coelomic cavities of infected P.
surinamensis from the previous report (Bolette,
1990). Additionally, while reexamining the cystacanths
previously recovered from Surinam
cockroaches (Bolette, 1990), 1 specimen was determined
to be M. wardi. The following description
of M. wardi is based on this single everted
female cystacanth. This report represents the
BOLETTE—RESEARCH NOTES 115
first description of M. orientalis and M. wardi
cystacanths.
The cockroaches were killed with ethyl acetate.
Cystacanths were mechanically excysted,
placed in refrigerated tap water to elicit proboscis
evagination, killed and preserved in AFA fixative,
and later transferred to 70% ethyl alcohol.
Selected specimens were stained in borax-carmine,
dehydrated in ascending concentrations of
ethyl alcohol, cleared in ascending concentrations
of xylene, and mounted in Permount®
(Fisher Scientific, Fairlawn, New Jersey,
U.S.A.). Voucher specimens were deposited in
the United States National Parasite Collection,
Beltsville, Maryland (USNPC No. 88032). Measurements
are in jxm unless stated otherwise,
with means in parentheses. Trunk measurements
do not include the neck. Hook and spine measurements
were determined in complete profile.
Mediorhynchus orientalis Belopol'skaya,
1953
GENERAL (CYSTACANTH): Trunk short, oblong,
slightly tapered at distal end. Proboscis
truncate, conical (Fig. 1). Proboscis armature
similar in both sexes. 19-24 (usually 20-21)
nearly longitudinal rows of 4-6 (usually 5)
hooks each. Anterior 2—3 hooks 37.5—50.0
(47.3); middle 2-3 hooks 37.5-45.0 (40.7); posterior
1-2 hooks 20.0-40.0 (29.2). Rootless
spines arranged in 34—38 rows of 3-6 (usually
4-5) spines each; 27.5-45.0 (36.75) long. Lemnisci
long, slender, usually folded, and partly retained
in neck region and anterior part of trunk.
FEMALE CYSTACANTHS (based on 8 specimens):
Trunk 1.49-1.89 (1.66) mm long, 0.48-0.73
(0.58) mm wide at widest point. Proboscis 637—
726 (695) long. Anterior proboscis 398-458
(428) long, 308-338 (318) wide at base. Posterior
proboscis 199-348 (272) long, 289-398
(350) wide at base. Neck 131-192 (158) long,
364-455 (391) wide at base. Sensory pit 27.5-
30.0 (24.0) long, 27.5-45.0 (35.0) wide, located
22.5-140 (87.0) distal to posteriormost spine.
MALE CYSTACANTH (1 specimen): Trunk 1.59
mm long, 0.62 mm wide at widest point. Proboscis
662 long. Anterior proboscis 384 long,
283 wide at base. Posterior proboscis 278 long,
318 wide at base. Neck 167 long, 333 wide at
base. Sensory pit 22.5 long, 30.0 wide, located
17.5 distal to posteriormost spine.
Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington