Comparative Parasitology 67(2) 2000 - Peru State College

ward, 1996). Vincent's sillago, Sillago vincenti
McKay, 1980: Kavanad, Kerala, India (Hayward,
1996).
SPECIMENS STUDIED: 14 voucher specimens,
USNPC 89007, 89008, HWML 15022.
REMARKS: Diplectanum sillagonum was described
by Tripathi (1957) from the gills of
S. sihama from western coastal localities on the
Bay of Bengal, India. His description of this species
is of marginal value for species determination.
Nonetheless, the original drawings of the
copulatory complex, anchors, bars, and whole
mount, while diagrammatic, strongly suggest
conspecificity with our collection from the Persian
Gulf. Persian Gulf specimens were obtained
from the same host species as that of the type
series, and respective measurements of specimens
from the Persian Gulf and India are comparable.
However, the types of D. sillagonum
were not available for confirmation. General
morphology of the sclerotized haptoral structures
and copulatory complex generally corresponds
to figures of this species offered by Hayward
(1996). However, Hay ward (1996) did not
mention the presence of the midventral pouch
located anterior to the pharynx in his redescription
of the species.
Lepidotrema kuwaitensis sp. n.
(Figs. 16-23)
DESCRIPTION: Diplectaninae. Body 504
(452—603; n — 8) long, fusiform; greatest width
105 (90-121; n = 9) near body midlength. Tegument
smooth. Cephalic margin tapered; 2 terminal,
2 bilateral cephalic lobes poorly developed;
3 bilateral pairs of head organs with anterior,
posterior pairs associated with respective
cephalic lobes; cephalic glands not observed.
Eyes 4, equidistant; members of posterior pair
larger than anterior members; anterior eyes frequently
absent, 1 or both posterior eyes occasionally
dissociated; granules small, ovate, numerous
accessory granules at eye level. Mouth
subterminal, ventral to pharynx; pharynx 23
(19-26; n = 9) wide, ovate to subspherical;
esophagus short to absent; intestinal ceca blind.
Peduncle short to elongate. Haptor 83 (65-100;
n = 9) long, 139 (124-151; n = 9) wide, bilaterally
lobed. Squamodiscs similar, each 37 (26-
43; n = 4) long, 40 (27-48; n = 6) wide, subcircular,
with 8-10 concentric rows of dumbbellshaped
rodlets becoming progressively more
KRITSKY ET AL.—DIPLECTANIDS FROM KUWAIT 151
delicate in posterior rows; 2-4 rows (layers) of
elongate delicate spinelets wrap around posterior
margin of both squamodiscs, spinelets frequently
absent. Ventral anchor 42 (39-45; n = 25)
long, with elongate roots (deep root longest),
evenly curved shaft with terminal indentation at
articulation with recurved point; point extending
slightly past level of tip of superficial anchor
root; anchor base 9 (7-11; n = 13) wide. Dorsal
anchor 37 (32-40; n = 23) long, with narrow
base, long deep root, curved shaft, point extending
past level of tip of superficial root of anchor
base; anchor base 7 (6-9; n = 11) wide. Ventral
bar 59 (52-66; n = 21) long, with tapered ends,
ventral groove; paired dorsal bar 55 (47—60; n
= 23) long, spatulate, with posteromedial spine.
Hook 10 (9-12; n = 37) long, with protruding
thumb with slightly depressed end, delicate
point, shank dilated slightly in some specimens.
Hook pair 1 lying medial to haptoral lobes, posterior
to bars; pairs 2-4, 7 in lateral haptoral
lobes; pair 5 associated with shaft of ventral anchor;
pair 6 at level of or just anterior to dorsal
bar. FH loop shank length. Male copulatory organ
68 (60-74; n =11) long, a sigmoid tube
with wall of varying thickness along length,
acute tip. Accessory piece absent. Testis subspherical,
54 (42-65; n = 9) in diameter; course
of vas deferens not observed; seminal vesicle a
simple dilation of vas deferens, lying along body
midline dorsal to ootype; prostatic reservoirs 3,
saccate; anterior prostatic vesicles bilateral to
male copulatory organ, with prostatic ducts
fused prior to entering base of male copulatory
organ via common duct; posterior reservoir caudal
to male copulatory organ, apparently emptying
independently into base of male copulatory
organ. Ovary 23 (19—25; n = 3) wide, pyriform,
anterodorsal to testis, looping right intestinal
cecum; oviduct elongate; ootype ventral, a
small dilated portion of female duct; uterus delicate,
extending anteriorly to left of prostatic reservoirs;
seminal receptacle not observed; vaginal
aperture sinistroventral, with circular muscular
rim; vagina funnel-shaped, narrowing to
short tube; vagina with proximally thickened
walls; vitellaria throughout trunk, except absent
in regions of major reproductive organs. Egg
83-84 (n = 1) long, 56-57 (n = 1) wide, ovate,
with short proximal filament.
TYPE HOST: Small-scaled terapon, Terapon
puta (Cuvier, 1829) (Terapontidae).
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