Daniconema anguillae Moravec & Køie 1987

Arai, Hisao P. & Smith, John W., 2016, Guide to the Parasites of Fishes of Canada Part V: Nematoda, Zootaxa 4185 (1), pp. 1-274 : 39

Daniconema anguillae Moravec & Køie 1987

Description (after Moravec 2013). With characteristics of the genus. Fine, thread-like worms with slightly striated cuticle. Head papillae and absence of buccal capsule as described above for the genus. Junction of muscular oesophagus and intestine somewhat submerged into oesophageal gland ( Fig. 27 B). Position of nerve ring and excretory pore as described above for genus. Deirids not observed. Intestine a fine narrow tube. Gravid females two to three times longer than males.

Males: 7.48–8.81 long; maximum width 0.041–0.051. Cephalic elevations 0.006 high. Muscular oesophagus 0.501–0.540, and oesophageal gland 2.04–2.96 long. Nerve ring and excretory pore 0.210–0.219 and 0.233–0.243 respectively from anterior end. Anterior end of testis near end of oesophageal gland. Caudal end spirally coiled; caudal alae absent. Four pairs pre-cloacal papillae, all subventral; five pairs post-cloacal papillae, four subventral and one lateral ( Fig. 27 C). Spicules, gubernaculum and sclerotized plate absent. Common cloacal duct opening on peculiar large, lobular genital projection. Tail conical, sharply pointed, 0.114–0.141 long ( Fig. 27 C).

Females: Gravid worms 16.82–31.17 long; maximum width 0.081–0.095. Muscular oesophagus 0.666–0.680, and oesophageal gland 2.68–2.70 long. Nerve ring and excretory pore 0.270–0.381 and 0.299–0.408 respectively from anterior end. Anus functional. Tail conical, rounded tip, 0.144–0.162 long. Monodelphic. Posterior end of ovary reaches tail. Uterus very long, occupies much of body, contains eggs, developing embryos and fully formed larvae about 0.5 long. Vulva well developed, 0.830–0.966 from anterior end. Narrow, thin-walled vagina extending anteriorly from uterus along most of length of oesophageal gland; ovijector oval in shape.

Site: swim bladder

Host: Anguilla rostrata

Distribution: Atlantic, Nova Scotia

Records: Marcogliese & Cone 1996 (NS); Marcogliese & Cone 1998 (AT)

Figures

FIGURE 27. Daniconema anguillae Moravec & Køie, 1987. A. female, head, lateral view; B. female, anterior end, lateral view; C. male, posterior end, lateral view. (Redrawn from Moravec 2013)