Braya, Nolan & Cribb, 2006

Nolan, Matthew J. & Cribb, Thomas H., 2006, Cardicola Short, 1953 and Braya n. gen. Digenea: Sanguinicolidae) from five families of tropical Indo-Pacific fishes (, Zootaxa 1265 (1), pp. 1-80 : 48-49

Braya n. gen.

Type species: Braya psittacus n. sp. from the atrium of Scarus ghobban (Forsskål) .

Diagnosis

Body elliptical to lanceolate, flattened, may curve ventrally marginally. Tegumental spines in ventro­lateral transverse rows. Oral sucker vestigial. Oesophagus sinuous; oesophageal chamber absent. Anterior and posterior caeca form X­shape; posterior caeca longer than anterior pair. Testis single, anteriorly intercaecal, may extend laterally to intercaecal field, posteriorly extending past termination of posterior caeca, roughly square to rectangular, dorsal to posterior caeca. Auxiliary external seminal vesicle absent. Cirrussac absent. Male genital pore opening on dorsal surface, terminal and medial. Ovary posterior to intercaecal field, mostly dextral in orientation, posterior to, abutting or slightly overlapping posterior margin of testis, roughly rectangular. Oviduct with medial portion forming oviducal seminal receptacle. Laurer’s canal absent. Oötype lateral to oviducal seminal receptacle. Uterus mostly post­ovarian, convoluted, anteriorly directed from oötype. Metraterm present. Eggs spherical to ovoid. Female genital pore opening on dorsal surface, posterior to oötype, antero­sinistral to male pore. Vitellarium follicular; vitelline follicles occupying area either side of lateral nerve chords, extending anteriorly to posterior margin of nerve commissure, posteriorly extending past posterior margin of testis. Excretory vesicle spherical to oblanceolate; two discernible anteriorly directed arms. Excretory pore sub­terminal. Parasites of circulatory system of Indo­Pacific marine fishes ( Scaridae ).

Etymology

Generic name for our friend and colleague Dr Rod A. Bray of the Natural History Museum, London, in honour of his major contributions to Australian ichthyoparasitology, particularly with respect to the Digenea of Great Barrier Reef fishes.