Anteropora cuba, Mojica & Jensen & Caira, 2013

Mojica, Kendra R., Jensen, Kirsten & Caira, Janine N., 2013, Revision Of Anteropora (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) And Descriptions Of Five New Species From Stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) In Borneo, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 61 (2), pp. 491-506 : 496

Anteropora cuba , new species

( Figs. 1D–F , 2G–K )

Type and only host. — Himantura cf. gerrardi 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a) ( Myliobatiformes : Dasyatidae )

Site of infection. — Spiral intestine

Holotype. — MZUM(P) 2013.1(H) ex Himantura cf. gerrardi 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a) (host no. BO-400), MALAYSIA: ~ 32 km off Kuching (02°00'N, 110°38'E), Sarawak, South China Sea , 9 Apr.2004, coll. J. N. Caira & K. Jensen.

Paratypes. — Ex Himantura cf. gerrardi 1 (sensu Naylor et al., 2012a) (host no. BO-400), same as holotype. MZUM(P) 2013.2(P), 3(P) (2 whole mounts); SBC-P-00060 (1 whole mount); ZRC.PAR. 22 (1 whole mount); USNPC 106521 (4 whole mounts) and LRP 7968 , 7969 (2 whole mounts). Two scoleces prepared for SEM retained by K. Jensen at the University of Kansas .

Etymology. — Derived from cubus (L.), referring to the shape of the scolex.

Description. — Based on 13 specimens: 11 whole mounts of mature worms and two scoleces prepared for SEM.

Worms 2,925 –6,195 (4,139 ± 1,108; 11) long; maximum width at scolex, euapolytic; proglottids 43–82 (60 ± 11; 11) in number. Scolex 205–295 (250 ± 30; 11) long by 270–392 (327 ± 37; 10) wide, more or less spherical, consisting of four acetabula, apical modification of scolex proper and apical organ; cephalic peduncle absent. Acetabula bothridiate in form, oval to rectangular in shape, with slight posterior indentation at midline, 150–231 (184 ± 21; 11; 22) long by 153–217 (176 ± 18; 10; 20) wide. Apical modification of scolex proper dome-shaped, with aperture at center, housing apical organ. Apical organ primarily glandular, weakly muscular, spherical to conical in form, 88–146 (110 ± 15; 11) long by 82–144 (100 ± 17; 11) wide, non-protrusible.

Apical modification of scolex proper covered with hastate spinitriches and acicular filitriches ( Fig. 2H ). Distal ( Fig. 2I ) and proximal ( Fig. 2J ) surfaces of bothridia covered with trullate spinitriches and acicular filitriches. Proglottids with capilliform filitriches throughout ( Fig. 2K ), also with small scolopate spinitriches along posterior proglottid margins.

Proglottids craspedote, non-laciniate. Immature proglottids 38–76 (54 ± 10; 11) in number, initially wider than long, becoming longer than wide with maturity. Mature proglottids 3–8 in number; subterminal proglottid 326–534 (433 ± 70; 11) long by 122–189 (163 ± 25; 11) wide; terminal proglottid 468–720 (584 ± 75; 11) long by 125–197 (164 ± 26; 11) wide. Testes invariably four in number, arranged in single column, 31–66 (46 ± 8; 11; 33) long by 50–99 (73 ± 14; 11; 33) wide, extending from anterior margin of proglottid to slightly overlap anterior margin of ovary. Vasa efferentia not observed. Vas deferens in fully mature proglottids enlarged to form extensive external seminal vesicle, extending from ootype region to posterior margin of anterior-most testis. Internal seminal vesicle not observed. Cirrus-sac pyriform, lateral to second testis, slightly angled anteriorly, 44–67 (57 ± 7; 11) long by 68–140 (107 ± 22; 11) wide, containing coiled cirrus. Cirrus armed with spinitriches. Ovary smooth, H-shaped in frontal view, tetralobed in cross-section, symmetrical, 108–180 (143 ± 23; 11) long by 74–144 (110 ± 21; 11) wide; ovarian bridge at middle of ovary. Mehlis’ gland posterior to ovarian bridge. Vagina extending along lateral margin of proglottid from ootype region to genital atrium, opening into genital atrium posterior to cirrus-sac. Genital pores lateral, irregularly alternating, 64–73% (68 ± 3; 11) of proglottid length from posterior end. Uterus saccate, extending along midline of proglottid from ovarian bridge to posterior margin of anterior-most testis. Vitellarium follicular; vitelline follicles 22–66 (41 ± 13; 11; 33) long by 23–64 (37 ± 10; 11; 33) wide, in two lateral fields; each field consisting of two columns, extending from posterior margin of anterior-most testis on aporal side and from posterior margin of cirrus-sac on poral side to posterior margin of proglottid, partially interrupted by ovary. Two pairs of excretory vessels. Eggs not observed. Remarks. — Unlike A. indica , A. japonica , A. klosmamorphis and A. leelongi , A. cuba , new species, is euapolytic rather than hyperapolytic. In addition, A. cuba , new species, has fewer testes than A. japonica and A. leelongi (four vs six), and a larger glandular apical organ than A. klosmamorphis (88–146 long by 82–144 wide vs 53–67 long by 51–68 wide). Furthermore, A. cuba , new species, possesses a vas deferens that is expanded to form an extensive external seminal vesicle while the vas deferens of A. indica is minimal. Like Anteropora joannae , A. cuba , new species, is euapolytic and possesses a glandular apical organ, but it differs conspicuously from A. joannae in its greater total length (2,925 –6,195 vs 986–2,657), greater number of proglottids (43–82 vs 10–25) and unlike A. joannae , the vas deferens of A. cuba , new species, is expanded to form an extensive external seminal vesicle ( Fig. 1F ). Furthermore, the scolex of A. cuba , new species, is spherical and its bothridia are oval to rectangular in shape with only a slight posterior indentation at midline, rather than oval and clearly posteriorly notched.

Figures

Fig. 1. Line drawings of Anteropora species. A–C, A. joannae, new species. A, whole worm, holotype (MZUM[P] 2013.7[H]); B, scolex, paratype (USNPC 106528); C, terminal proglottid, paratype (USNPC 106528). D–F, A. cuba, new species. D, whole worm, holotype (MZUM[P] 2013.1[H]); E, scolex, paratype (USNPC 106521); F, subterminal proglottid, paratype (USNPC 106521).

Fig. 2. Scanning electron micrographs of Anteropora species. A–F, A. joannae, new species. A, scolex (small letters indicate location of details in B–F); B, surface of apical modification of scolex proper; C, surface of scolex proper at base of apical modification; D, distal bothridial surface; E, proximal bothridial surface; F, surface of posterior margin of proglottid. G–K, A. cuba, new species. G, scolex (small letters indicate location of details in H–K); H, surfaces of apical modification of scolex proper; I, distal bothridial surface; J, proximal bothridial surface; K, surface of posterior margin of proglottid.