A new polystomatid (Monogenea, Polystomatidae) from the mouth of the North American freshwater turtle Pseudemys nelsoni

By

Du Preez, Louis
Van Rooyen, Michelle

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

539

Pages

1-9

Subjects

Florida , freshwater turtle , Monogenea , Polystomatidae , Polystomoides , USA

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.539.6108

 

Abstract

Based on material collected from Pseudemys nelsoni (Reptilia: Chelonia: Emydidae) during a parasite survey of the herpetofauna around Gainesville, Florida, USA, Polystomoides nelsoni sp. n. is described as a new polystome species. This parasite was found in the oral and pharyngeal region of the host. In a sample of nine Pseudemys nelsoni, three specimens were found to release polystome eggs. One turtle was euthanized and dissected and found to be infected in the oral region with 19 specimens belonging to an as-yet-unknown Polystomoides. This is only the fifth Polystomoides recorded from the Nearctic realm. This species is distinguished from known species by a combination of characteristics including marginal hooklet morphology, body length and haptor dimensions.