Morishitium urocissae, Dronen, Norman O., 2014

Dronen, Norman O., 2014, Key to the species of Morishitium Wienberg, 1928 (Cyclocoelidae), with the description of a new species from the red-billed blue magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha (Boddaert) (Corvidae) from Guizhou Province, People’s Republic of China, Zootaxa 3835 (2), pp. 273-282 : 278-280

Morishitium urocissae n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 )

Type host. Corvidae : Urocissa erythrorhyncha Boddaert ; red-billed blue magpie.

Type locality. Dashahe Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, People’s Republic of China, 27º 39’ N latitude, 108º 51’ E longitude.

Site of infection. Air sacs.

Prevalence and intensity. A single examined host was infected with 8 specimens of digeneans.

Specimens deposited. Holotype USNPC 107953.00; Paratypes USNPC 107954.0 0 (3 specimens); Voucher specimens USNPC 107955.0 0 (4 specimens).

Etymology. The species is named for the genus of the type host, Urocissa Cabanis.

Description. Based on 8 specimens. With characteristics of the genus. Body large, relatively narrow, tapered anteriorly, holotype 13,288 (range 10,400–13,350; mean 12,066) by 2,525 (2,375–2,675; 2,554) at widest point near midbody. Mouth slightly subterminal; oral sucker poorly developed, wider than long, 250 (240–290; 255) by 360 (310–380; 356); prepharynx absent; pharynx well developed, 290 (240–300; 267) by 330 (290–330; 317); esophagus 220 (210–260; 230) long. Ratio of width of pharynx to width of oral sucker 1:1.0 (1:1.0–1:1.3; 1:1.2). Ceca uniting near posterior extremity to form posterior arch of cyclocoel. Ventral sucker absent. Testes smooth, spherical to subspherical, approaching tandem to somewhat diagonal, in intercecal region of posterior 1/3 of body, anterior testis 935 (720–935; 809) by 650 (650–800; 738), posterior testis contiguous to posterior arch of cyclocoel, or nearly so, 1,010 (760–1,020; 954) by 620 (620–950; 802). Intertesticular space 775 (275–1,125; 792), 6% (3–9%; 7%) of body length. Posttesticular space relatively small, 920 (700–1,250; 1,000), 7% (6–10%; 9%) of body length. Cirrus sac 480 (470–565; 510), 4% (3–5%; 4%) of body length by 230 (180–260; 233), enclosing bipartite seminal vesicle. Genital pore immediately postpharyngeal, near midline of body. Ovary smooth, oval, intertesticular, in line with testes, or nearly so, 420 (325–430; 383) by 405 (310–410; 370). Ratio of width of ovary to mean width of testes 1:1.5 (1:1.5–1:2.5; 1:2.1). Laurer’s canal absent. Vitelline follicles distributed along ceca from level of pharynx to level of posterior margin of cyclocoel, not confluent posteriorly; follicles 50 (17–150) by 48 (15–150); one side of vitelline fields less extensive in some specimens, reaching anteriorly only to level of cecal bifurcation; longer side not consistently on left or right. Oötype immediately posterior to ovary, somewhat dextral. Laurer’s canal absent. Uterus extensive, not surpassing anterior margin of posterior testis posteriorly; extracecal loops common throughout middle 1/3 of body; proximal end of uterus distended, filled with sperm, “receptaculum seminis uterinum of Yamaguti (1933) (“receptacle seminalis uterinum of Harrah [1922]), located immediately posterior, slightly dextral to oötype near midline of body. Metraterm short, poorly developed. Fully developed eggs largely in distal end of uterus, 129 (123 by 135) by 65 (60–70) (n=40); eggs in proximal end of uterus generally smaller, 114 (100–121) by 60 (50–70) (n=20); deformed and atypically-sized eggs common throughout uterus, 98 (60–109) by 60 (50–65) (n=25), one unusually large egg 150 by 70. Miracidia nonoculate. Excretory vesicle Yshaped with short stem. Excretory pore nearly terminal on dorsal surface of body.

Remarks. Morishitium urocissae n. sp. is somewhat similar to M. bivesiculatum by having a similar ratio of the width of the pharynx to the width of the oral sucker (1:1.0–1:1.2 compared to 1:1.0) and a similar sized cirrus sac (470–565 long; 3–5% of body length compared to 400; 4% [Table 2]). Both species also have the anterior extent of the vitelline fields reaching the level of the pharynx, which distinguishes them from all other species in the genus that have an oral sucker present and lack a ventral sucker ( M. dollfusi vitelline fields extend anteriorly to level of oral sucker; M. dumetellae , M. straightum [syn. M. sharadi ] vitelline fields extend to level of cecal bifurcation; M. petrowi vitelline fields extend to about 18% of body length from anterior end [postbifurcal]). The new species differs from M. bivesiculatum by having a larger maximum egg size (135 by 70 compared to 127 by 65), uterine loops that overreach the ceca laterally rather than being intercecal, a shorter distance from the posterior testis to the posterior arch of the cyclocoel (70 [0–110] compared to 400 [calculated from figure 2 of the original description by Prudhoe 1944]), and by being from a magpie from the People’s Republic of China rather than being from a barbet from Sri Lanka. The new species also is similar to M. straightum (syn. M. sharadi ) by having similar egg lengths (123–135 compared to 123 –140), but differs from this species by having the oral sucker the same width or wider than the pharynx (ratio of pharynx width to oral sucker width 1:1.0–1.3 compared to 1: 0.7–1:0.8) and M. urocissae n. sp. has a narrower egg (maximum egg width 70 compared to 81). The new species is most similar to M. dumetellae , but differs from this species by having wider eggs (65 compared to 60), a longer body Abbreviations: C= cecum; E= excretory vesicle; GP= genital pore; M= Mehlis’ glands; MT= metraterm; O = ovary; OD= oviduct; P= pharynx; RU= “Receptaculum seminis uterinum of Yamaguti (1933) (“receptacle seminalis uterinum of Harrah [1922]); SV= seminal vesicle; T= testis; U= uterus; V= vitelline duct.

(10,400– 13,350 compared to 8,500), a shorter cirrus sac (470–565; 3–5% of the body length compared to 595; 7%), a smaller ratio of the pharynx to the oral sucker (1:1.0–1:1.3 compared to 1:1.7), more extensive uterine loops that overreach the ceca laterally rather than being interececal, the anterior extent of the vitelline fields reaching anteriorly to the level of the pharynx as compared to terminating posterior to the cecal bifurcation, and by being from a magpie from the People’s Republic of China rather than from a catbird from the United States.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Morishitium urocissae n. sp. from the red-billed blue magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha. 1. Ventral view of fully mature adult. 2. Composite drawing of cirrus sac and seminal vesicle showing and cirrus and location of the genital pore, ventral view. 3. Composite drawing of female genital complex, ventral view.