Anenterotrema mesolecitha Marshall & Miller, 1979

Lunaschi, Lía I. & Drago, Fabiana B., 2011, A revision of Anenterotrema Stunkard, 1938 (Digenea: Anenterotrematidae) and a key to its species, Zootaxa 2775, pp. 50-64 : 61-63

Anenterotrema mesolecitha Marshall & Miller, 1979

( Figure 5 )

Material studied. 4 paratypes USNPC 0 73072.00. Ex Carollia perspicillata (L.) [as C. perspicillata perspicillata (L.)] ( Phyllostomidae ) (type host), small intestine, Sucúa and Mendez (type localities), Morona Santiago Province, Ecuador.

Host. Phyllostomidae : C. perspicillata

Locality. Sucúa and Mendez, Morona Santiago Province, Ecuador.

Reference. Marshall & Miller (1979).

Redescription. [Based on 4 whole-mounts] Body small, pyriform, with maximum width in post-equatorial region, 508–580 x 290–338 (545 x 314); forebody 174–248 (206); hindbody 224–266 (253). Ratio of body length to forebody length 1:2.1–3 (1:2.7). Ratio of forebody length to hindbody length 1: 0.7–0.9 (1:0.8). Tegument unarmed. Anterior end without transverse fold of body wall at level of oral sucker. Oral sucker subspherical, large, subterminal, with aperture reduced to longitudinal slit, 102–112 x 90 –100 (107 x 95). Ventral sucker larger than oral sucker, in middle third of body, oval or subspherical, with closed aperture, reduced to longitudinal slit, 100– 152 x 131–136 (115 x 133). Sucker width ratio 1:0.7–0.8 (1:0.7). Pharynx, oesophagus and intestinal caeca absent. Gonads in anterior half of hindbody. Testes partly hidden by coils of uterus, entire, symmetrical, postero-lateral to ventral sucker; right testis 59–105 x 64 –100 (78 x 80); left testis 48–90 x 52 –113 (74 x 76). Ratio of body length to testis length 1:5–11 (1: 8). Ratio of ventral sucker length to testis length 1:1–2 (1:1.6). Cirrus sac parallel to long axis of body, smaller than ventral sucker, 62–90 x 45 –52 (76 x 49), entirely, or almost entirely, anterior to ventral sucker, contains long, coiled internal seminal vesicle; pars prostatic and cirrus not seen. Ratio of ventral sucker length to cirrus sac length 1:1.2–2 (1:1.7). Genital pore median, in forebody close to ventral sucker (except in single specimen located more anteriorly). Ovary lateral, totally or partly overlapping to right or left testis, 57–67 x 71 – 83 (63 x 78). Mehlis’ gland and Laurer’s canal not seen; seminal receptacle present. Vitellarium follicular, in hindbody partly hidden by uterine loops; vitelline follicles large. Uterus long, occupying all available space in hindbody and extending laterally to ventral sucker, contains numerous operculate eggs, with yellow coloration and measuring 36– 40 x 18–23 (38 x 20). Ratio of body length to egg length 1:13–16 (1:14). Metraterm indistinguishable. Excretory pore terminal. Excretory vesicle not seen.

Remarks. This species is known only from its original record and belongs to the species group devoid of transverse dorsal fold at level of the oral sucker. It is distinguished from other species of this group, A. stunkardi and A. liliputianum , by possessing suckers with their aperture reduced to a longitudinal slit. This study has enabled us to augment the original description with new morphometrical and morphological data, given that the vitellarium – described by Marshall & Miller (1979) as “highly dendritic” – consists of relatively large follicles distributed throughout most of the post-testicular region, and that the ovary, initially described on dextral side of the body, may be also located on the left side.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Anenterotrema mesolecitha. A – D Paratypes USNPC 0 73072.00, A – C ventral view. D dorsal view. Scales: 200 μm.