Stephanoprora conciliata (Dietz, 1909)

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 conciliata (Dietz, 1909)

Localities: Bryan Utility Lake , Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, U.S.A., 30° 24’ N latitude, 96° 13’ W longitude; 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 (4 specimens) HWML 48506 .

Prevalence: 4 of 4 birds, 100%.

Mean intensity: 35 individuals/infected bird.

Basic comparative description: Based on 10 adult specimens. Body elongate, spinose, 2,420 (2,150 – 2,725) long by 295 (200–375) wide with reniform head collar bearing a single dorsally interrupted row of 22 spines, 48 (46–50) long. Forebody 495 (460–550) long. Oral sucker 88 (79–95) by 80 (70–90); prepharynx 30 (26–35) long; pharynx 82 (60–90) by 77 (70–90); esophagus 215 (180–270) long; ceca long, terminating near posterior extremity. Acetabulum 180 (160–190) by 186 (170–210). Testes in middle third of body, contiguous; anterior testis 205 (200–220) by 230 (210–260); posterior testis 240 (230–250) by 216 (180–260). Genital pore immediately posterior to cecal bifurcations near midline of body, cirrus sac extending to level of posterior margin of acetabulum, 185 (170–200) by 89 (80–99). Ovary immediately pretesticular on midline of body, 90 (80–100) by 85 (70–105). Vitelline follicles distributed from level of posterior testis to posterior end. Eggs large, 70 (60–75) by 40 (35–50). Excretory pore terminal.

Remarks. This species has previously been reported from Sterna sp. in Brazil ( Yamaguti 1971), but it is a new host record for S. maxima from Texas, U.S.A.