Electrovermis Warren and Bullard

Warren, Micah B. & Bullard, Stephen A., 2019, First elucidation of a blood fluke (Electrovermis zappum n. gen., n. sp.) life cycle including a chondrichthyan or bivalve, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 10, pp. 170-183 : 174

3.1. Electrovermis Warren and Bullard n. gen ( Fig. 1−4 )

3.1.1. Generic diagnosis

Body extremely elongate, dorsoventrally flattened, having anterior end tapering and posterior end bluntly rounded, aspinous, lacking lateral tubercles. Rosethorn-shaped spines lacking. Nervous system indistinct. Anterior sucker aspinous, lacking peduncle, diminutive. Mouth on mid-ventral surface of anterior sucker. Pharynx absent. Oesophagus extending sinuously posteriad along mid-line for 1/4 of body length; posterior oesophageal swelling present. Intestinal caeca inverse Ushaped, asymmetrical; posterior caeca shorter than oesophagus, connecting to oesophagus ventrally, lacking diverticula, terminating in anterior half of body. Testis single, medial, looped, lacking lobed margins, wholly posterior to intestine. Vas deferens short, extending posteriad from testis. Internal seminal vesicle distinct, longer than vas deferens, enveloped by cirrus sac. Cirrus long, 65% of seminal vesicle length, curving sinistrally before everting. Auxiliary external seminal vesicle lacking. Ovary medial, post-caecal, post-testicular; post-ovarian space comprising 1/3 of body length. Vitellarium follicular, diffuse, distributed throughout body. Oviduct and oötype indistinct. Laurer’ s canal absent. Uterus post-gonadal, dorsal to posterior-most end of seminal vesicle, not extensively convoluted, extending anteriad before crossing midline and extending posteriad; uterine eggs large, occupying 67% of uterus, oblong, vacuous. Common genital pore dorsal, post-gonadal. Excretory vesicle indistinct.

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Electrovermis zappum Warren and Bullard n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) infecting the heart of the lesser electric ray, Narcine bancroftii (Griffith and Smith, 1834) Carvalho, 2001 (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae) (1) Body of shistosomulum (voucher, USNM No. 1578577), ventral view. (2) Body of shistosomulum (larger) Voucher (USNM No. 1578576), ventral view. (3) Body of adult (holotype, USNM No. 1578574), ventral view. (4) Genitalia of holotype, ventral view. Oesophagus (es), oesophageal gland (eg), caecal bifurcation (cb), mouth (mo), vitellarium (vit), testis (t), ovary (o), vas deferens (vd), seminal vesicle (sv), common genital pore (cgp), uterus (u), and cirrus (c), uterine seminal receptacle (usr), and uterine constriction (uc).