Ligophorus bykhowskyi Dmitrieva, Gerasev, Gibson, Pronkina, Galli, 2012 parasite in collection

Type host

Crenimugil crenilabris (Forsskal, 1775)

Type locality

Red Sea, Ras Mohammed National Park

Other host

Liza tricuspidens (Smith)

Other locality

Arabian Sea, off Oman

Short description:

General internal morphology and haptoral armaments all conform to diagnose of genus Ligophorus sensu Euzet & Suriano (1977). Large worms, 377 ± 7 (350-405) mkm wide, 1,110 ± 18 (1,080-1,180) long. Anchors similar: distal part shorter than proximal part; distal and proximal parts form obtuse angle; inner length of proximal part larger than outer; distal part with straightened shaft; point almost at right angle. Ventral anchor: inner length 40 ± 0.8 (37-42); distal part length 14 ± 0.2 (14-15); shaft length 12 ± 0.3 (11-13); point length 7 ± 0.2 (6-7); inner length of proximal part 33 ± 1 (27-36); outer length of proximal part 22 ± 0.8 (19-26); span between roots 24 ± 1.5 (20-28). Dorsal anchor: inner length 43 ± 0.7 (38-46); distal part length 18 ± 0.3 (17-19); shaft length 14 ± 0.2 (13-15); point length 10 ± 0.1 (9-10); inner length of proximal part 33 ± 0.5 (30-36); outer length of proximal part 22 ± 0.5 (20-24); span between roots 20 ± 0.5 (18-22). Dorsal bar, 7 ± 0.2 (6-8) high, 56 ± 0.9 (50-60) wide, slightly concave, with shallow, wide prominence in middle of posterior margin. Ventral bar, 8 ± 0.3 (7-9) high, 49.5 ± 0.6 (45-52) wide, with two digitiform anterior processes, 10.5 ± 0.4 (9-13) long, span between them 2 ± 0.2 (2-3); middle part considerably anteriorly protruded; ventral side of ventral bar with 2 narrow, wing-shaped laminae attached to each anterior process and entirely surrounding lateral margins of median knoll. Marginal hooks 12 long. Male copulatory organ consists of copulatory tube, with expanded base, and accessory piece; latter not articulated with other parts of MCO. Expanded base single-chambered, 18 long, 15 wide, extending 1/3 of tube length. Copulatory tube 4 wide, 63 ± 0.7 (60-65) long. Accessory piece, 5 ± 0.2 (5-6) wide, 37.5 ± 1 (32-42) long, undivided, with distal end beakshaped and turned-in. Muscular sheath of copulatory tube not distinguished. Vagina not described.

Bibliography

First published in

Dmitrieva E. V., Gerasev P. I., Gibson D. I., Pronkina N. V., Galli P. 2012. Descriptions of eight new species of Ligophorus Euzet & Suriano, 1977 (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) from Red Sea mullets. Systematic Parasitology, 81, P. 203–237.

Other reference

Dmitrieva E.V., Gerasev P.I., Machkevskyi V. K., Al-Jufaili S. 2013. First records of species of Ligophorus Euzet et Suriano, 1977 (Ancyrocephalidae) from the Sea of Oman. Abstracts of 7th International Symposium on Monogenea, August 4-9, 2013, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. P.59.

Specimens in collection