Sciurotaenia

Haukisalmi, Voitto, 2009, A taxonomic revision of the genus Anoplocephaloides Baer, 1923 sensu Rausch (1976), with the description of four new genera (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae), Zootaxa 2057, pp. 1-31 : 17-18

Sciurotaenia n. g.

(Fig. 8)

Etymology: The genus is named after the definitive hosts ( Sciuridae ) of S. transversaria and S. wigginsi .

Diagnosis: Strobila long and wide. Suckers directed laterally. Short neck (unsegmented region) present. Proglottides craspedote, much wider than long. Genitalia single. Genital pores unilateral or irregularly and infrequently alternating, positioned slightly posterior to middle of proglottis margin. Genital atrium strong, capable of forming prominent genital papilla. Genital ducts cross osmoregulatory canals dorsally. Internal and external seminal vesicles present. Cirrus sac prominent, extending markedly across ventral longitudinal canal. Retractor muscle of cirrus sac absent. Testes arranged in single transverse group in antiporal part of proglottis; may overlap antiporal ventral longitudinal canal but do not extend beyond it. Ovary small relative to proglottis size, rounded, poral, rather densely lobed. Vagina short, usually not overlapping ventral longitudinal canal; enters genital atrium posterior or postero-ventral to cirrus sac. Early uterus transverse tube in anterior part of proglottis, ventral to testes, not overlapping longitudinal osmoregulatory canals; poral end terminates anterior to cirrus sac and external seminal vesicle. Fully developed (pregravid) uterus arborescent, with separate anterior and posterior sacculi; transverse median trunk present. Female reproductive organs mature simultaneously with, slightly earlier or slightly later than male organs; testes persist long after resorption of female glands overlapping developing uterus. Pyriform apparatus present. Parasitic in sciurid rodents. Type species: S. transversaria ( Krabbe, 1879) n. comb. [syns. Taenia transversaria Krabbe, 1879 , Anoplocephala transversaria ( Krabbe, 1879) Blanchard, 1891 , Anoplocephaloides transversaria ( Krabbe, 1879) Baer, 1923 , Paranoplocephala transversaria ( Krabbe, 1879) Baer, 1927 ] from Marmota sp.; holotype not assigned. Other species: S. wigginsi ( Rausch, 1954) n. comb. [syns. Paranoplocephala wigginsi Rausch, 1954 , Anoplocephaloides wigginsi ( Rausch, 1954) Rausch, 1976 ].

Remarks. From other species with an anterior early uterus which does not overlap the ventral longitudinal canals, Sciurotaenia differs by its larger body ( Leporidotaenia , G. floresbarroetae ), laterally directed suckers ( Leporidotaenia ), presence of a neck ( Leporidotaenia , Flabelloskrjabinia ), number of testes ( Leporidotaenia , G. floresbarroetae ), absence of a retractor muscle ( Leporidotaenia , G. floresbarroetae , Flabelloskrjabinia ), length of the vagina ( Flabelloskrjabinia ) and structure of the fully developed uterus ( Leporidotaenia ). For morphological differences between Sciurotaenia and Parasciurotaenia n. g., another genus of large-bodied cestodes parasitizing sciurid rodents, see the Remarks section for the latter genus (below). For (re)descriptions of Sciurotaenia spp., see Zschokke (1888), Spasskii (1951) ( S. transversaria ) and Rausch (1954, 1976) ( S. wigginsi ).

Sciurotaenia wigginsi inhabits the small intestine; region not specified ( Rausch 1954).

FIGURE. 8. Sciurotaenia transversaria from Spermophilus parryi . A. Scolex and anterior strobila (scale-bar 0.50 mm). B. Mature proglottis (scale-bar 0.50 mm). C. Uterus in a pregravid proglottis (scale-bar 1.0 mm).