Entobdella brinkmanni, Kearn & Whittington & Evans-Gowing, 2007

Kearn, Graham C., Whittington, Ian D. & Evans-Gowing, Richard, 2007, A revision of Entobdella Blainville in Lamarck, 1818, with special emphasis on the nominal (type) species “ Entobdella hippoglossi (Müller, 1776) Blainville, 1818 ” (Monogenea: Capsalidae: Entobdellinae) from teleost flatfishes, with descriptions of three new species and a new genus, Zootaxa 1659, pp. 1-54 : 45-46

Entobdella brinkmanni n. sp.

( Figs. 15F, G, 36)

Type host and locality: Bigeye flounder, Hippoglossina macrops Steindachner, 1876 ( Pleuronectiformes : Paralichthyidae ); Pacific Ocean, off coast of Chile, specifically Seno Reloncaví, Piedra Azul, 40°31'30" S, 72°48'15" W, depth 40 – 55 m ( Brinkmann 1952a).

Other locality: Coquimbo (approximately 29°57' S, 71°25' W), approximately 1300 km north of type locality. Specimens collected by Dr M. T. González ( Entobdella sp. 1 ; Table 2) .

Site on host: Skin.

Holotype: Brinkmann’s adult specimen No. 9 (see Brinkmann 1952a) ( SMNH No.: 70984, 1 slide).

Paratypes: Brinkmann’s adult specimens Nos. 4 – 7, 10 ( SMNH Nos. 70980 – 70983, 70985 respectively, 5 slides) .

Voucher specimens: Single adult specimen from Coquimbo, Chile ( Entobdella sp. 1 ; Table 2), donated by Dr M. T. González ( IDW 19/04/1) ( SAMA AHC No. 29196, 1 slide). Three immature specimens, Brinkmann’s Nos. 1 – 3 ( SMNH Nos. 70977 – 70979, 3 slides). Single immature specimen from Coquimbo, Chile ( Entobdella sp. 1 ; Table 2), donated by Dr M. T. González ( IDW 19/04/2) ( SAMA AHC No. 29197, 1 slide).

Etymology: The specific name records the contribution of Dr August Brinkmann Jr., who first encountered this species (as E. squamula ) from specimens collected by the Lund University Chile Expedition 1948 – 1949.

Specimens studied: Holotype, paratypes and voucher specimens as listed above.

Description ( Fig. 36): Dimensions of adult specimens: total length 5915 (4783 – 8693) (n = 7); body width 3399 (2797 – 4843) (n = 7); haptor length and breadth 2130 (1865 – 2828) (n = 6) and 2220 (1895 – 2707) (n = 7) respectively; accessory sclerite length 278 (227 – 400) (n = 9); anterior hamulus length 760 (654 – 1038) (n = 14); posterior hamulus length 156 (127 – 200) (n = 11); pharynx length and breadth 502 (400 – 500) and 642 (488 – 913) respectively (n = 6); testis length and breadth 472 (313 – 675) and 531 (438 – 650) respectively (n = 11). Anterior hamuli relatively slender. For morphology, see description by Brinkmann (1952a) as E. squamula . Accessory sclerite curved, with distinctive shape (see Figs. 15F, G, 36B and Brinkmann’s fig. 5), resembling arrowhead, distal tip of which projects from ventral surface of haptor. Appearance created by presence of 2 flanges running along inner and outer borders of sclerite respectively, outer flange wider than inner flange. Papillae present on ventral surface of haptor. Papillae apparently absent anterior to peduncle but not easy to see in whole mounts. Eyes present. Glands of Goto present. Vagina detected in only 1 specimen (Brinkmann’s No. 5); small opening (5 diameter) on ventral surface; narrow entrance tube (about 110 long) communicates with wider, convoluted main vagina; proximal termination not seen. Six, possibly 7, seminal receptacles observed.

Measurements of 4 juveniles: total length 3250 (2363 – 3640) (n = 4); anterior hamulus length 486 (314 – 580) (n = 8). No vitellarium visible; vitelline reservoirs empty. Sexual maturity achieved between 3640 and 4783 in total length.

Differential diagnosis: Degree of curvature of accessory sclerites ( Figs. 15F, G, 36B) intermediate between those of E. soleae ( Fig. 15J) and E. squamula (see Fig. 15E); accessory sclerite resembles arrowhead, created by presence of 2 flanges running along inner and outer borders of sclerite respectively, outer flange being wider than inner flange. On skin of Hippoglossina macrops .

Comments. Although the specimens recently acquired by us came from a locality 1300 km north of the type locality, they are from the same host as Brinkmann’s specimens, namely Hippoglossina macrops , and this, together with the similarly shaped accessory sclerites, indicates that all of the studied specimens are conspecific.