Stephanoprora denticulata (Rudolphi, 1802)

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 : 49

Stephanoprora denticulata (Rudolphi, 1802)

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 (3 specimens) HWML 48507 .

Prevalence: 2 of 4 birds, 50%.

Mean intensity: 21 individuals/infected bird.

Basic comparative description: Based on 10 specimens. Body elongate, spinose, 1,835 (1,400 –2,260) long by 385 (320–450) wide with reniform head collar bearing a single dorsally interrupted row of 22 spines, 34 (32–35) long. Forebody 210 (180–230) long. Oral sucker 77 (70–85) by 90 (80–100); prepharynx 15 (10– 20) long, pharynx 90 (80–95) by 75 (70–80); esophagus 175 (160–190) long; ceca long, terminating near posterior extremity. Acetabulum 195 (180–200) by 200 (190–210). Testes in middle third of body, contiguous; anterior testis 150 (110–190) by 190 (130–250); posterior testis 205 (130–260) by 175 (130–220). Genital pore immediately posterior to cecal bifurcation near midline of body, cirrus sac extending to mid-level of acetabulum, 160 (145–190) by 65 (60–75). Ovary immediately pretesticular on midline of body, 75 (55–100) by 65 (60–70). Vitelline follicles distributed from level of anterior testis to posterior end. Eggs large, 82 (79–86) by 40 (34–46). Excretory pore terminal.

Remarks. Stephanoprora denticulata has previously been reported from the royal tern in Louisiana, U.S.A. by Lumsden (1962). Kostadinova (2005) followed Nasir & Scorza (1968) by considering Beaverosto- mum Gupta, 1963, where an uroproct was reportedly present (reported by Beaver 1937, confirmed by Yamaguti 1971), to be synonymous with Stephanoprora Odhner, 1902 , because the type specimens were not available for re-examination and because he felt that previous observations of an uroproct in species of Beaverostomum might be “a misinterpretation.” In some of our specimens identified as Stephanoprora denticulata , where there are few eggs in the uterus near the posterior end of the body, it appeared to us that the ceca enter the upper aspect of the excretory bladder through a small canal on each side as illustrated by Yamaguti (1971). This is difficult to see, but if this observation is correct, then at least some of our specimens identified as S. denticulata may actually be a species of Beaverostomum . We have also observed what appears to be an uroproct in specimens of echinostomes we had initially identified as species of Stephanoprora from other aquatic birds (e.g. the great blue heron, Ardea herodias Linnaeus ) collected from the Texas Gulf coast.