Cardiocephaloides brandesii (Szidat, 1928)

Dronen, Norman O., Blend, Charles K., Gardner, Scott L. & Jiménez, F. Agustín, 2007, Stictodora cablei n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) from the royal tern, Sterna maxima (Laridae: Sterninae) from Puerto Rico and the Brazos County area of the Texas Gulf coast, U. S. A., with a list of other endohelminths recovered in Texas, Zootaxa 1432 (1), pp. 35-56 : 53

Cardiocephaloides brandesii (Szidat, 1928)

Localities: Bryan Utility Lake , Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, U.S.A., 30° 24’ N latitude, 96° 13’ W longitude; Galveston Bay , Galveston County, Texas, U.S.A., 29 Ο 18' N latitude, 94 Ο 48' W longitude .

Site of infection: intestine.

Deposited specimens: Voucher specimens (5 specimens) HWML 48504 .

Prevalence: 3 of 4 birds, 75%.

Mean intensity: 14 individuals/infected bird.

Basic comparative description: Based on 10 adult specimens. Body elongate, aspinose, 5,860 (4,625 – 7,950) long with relatively short forebody 925 (800–1,200) by 670 (480–825) divided by distinct constriction from longer hindbody 4,875 (3,700 –6,750) by 800 (750–850). Oral sucker 75 (50–100) by 75 (60–90); prepharynx absent; pharynx 65 (60–70) by 45 (40–55); esophagus 30 (25–40) long; ceca long, terminating near posterior extremity. Acetabulum 90 (75–95) by 95 (75–105). Testes tandem, anterior testis 475 (430– 570) by 420 (345–500); posterior testis 535 (440–680) by 460 (395–550). Genital pore terminal. Ovary oval, immediately anterior to and usually contiguous with anterior testis, 235 (220–250) by 245 (230–260). Vitellaria restricted to hindbody. Eggs 103 (85–107) by 68 (63–73).

Remarks. This species has previously been reported from the royal tern by Rietschel & Werding (1978) from the western hemisphere (see Table 1).