Mesostephanus fajardensis ( Price, 1934 )

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 : 48-49

Mesostephanus fajardensis ( Price, 1934)

Locality: 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 48505 .

Prevalence: 2 of 4 birds, 50%.

Mean intensity: 11 individuals/infected bird.

Basic comparative description: Based on 10 adult specimens. Body somewhat oval, aspinose, 1,250 (1,100 –1,425) long by 645 (560–775) wide. Forebody concave ventrally 585 (555–630) by 420 (405–438). Oral sucker 62 (59–68) by 64 (60–68); prepharynx absent; pharynx 55 (49–62) by 34 (31–36); esophagus 80 (65–91) long; ceca long, terminating near posterior extremity. Acetabulum 88 (86–91) by 84 (73–96). Testes nearly tandem, anterior testis 220 (205–235) wide; posterior testis 148 (135–170) wide. Genital pore terminal. Ovary opposite to just posterolateral to anterior testis, 100 (80–105) by 90 (80–100). Eggs 56 (54–60) by 37 (35–40).

Remarks. Mesostephanus fajardensis is the type species for the genus. This species is primarily a parasite

of the genus Sula Brisson within the order Ciconiiformes (boobies and gannets) in the western hemisphere, and this report in royal tern represents a new host record.