Beluesca, Miller, Terrence L. & Cribb, Thomas H., 2007

Miller, Terrence L. & Cribb, Thomas H., 2007, Two new cryptogonimid genera Beluesca n. gen. and Chelediadema n. gen. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) from tropical Indo-West Pacific Haemulidae (Perciformes), Zootaxa 1543, pp. 45-60 : 48-49

Beluesca n. gen.

Type-species: B. littlewoodi n. sp.

Diagnosis: Body elongate, widest near level of testes or slightly posterior; length/width ratio c. 2.8–8.7. Tegument with small to minute spines. Oral sucker funnel-shaped, with large oral spines, opens terminally. Ventral sucker unspecialised, embedded in ventrogenital sac. Ratio oral/ventral sucker width c. 1.6–2.6. Forebody occupies c. 1/2–2/3 body length. Prepharynx shorter than oesophagus. Oesophagus long. Intestinal bifurcation in approximately mid-forebody, well anterior to ventral sucker. Caeca blind, terminate close to posterior end of body. Testes two, opposite to oblique, in anterior hindbody. Seminal vesicle tubulosaccular. Common genital pore immediately anterior to ventral sucker. Gonotyl absent. Ovary deeply lobed, ventral to or immediately anterior to testes. Seminal receptacle tubulosaccular, posterior to ovary, may extend well posterior to testes. Vitelline follicles in two lateral groups, may extend from ovary to near intestinal bifurcation. Uterine coils restricted to hindbody, extend from posterior end of body to ventral sucker. Excretory vesicle Yshaped; arms reach to level of pharynx or between pharynx and oral sucker. In marine fishes ( Haemulidae ); tropical Indo-West Pacific.

Etymology: The name Beluesca is derived from the Latin belua, meaning beast or monster and esca, meaning bait. It is proposed in recognition of the original purpose for capturing the host individual found to harbour the type-species, which was as bait for a large serranid off Lizard Island. It is to be treated as feminine.

Differential diagnosis: Beluesca n. gen. is distinguished from all other cryptogonimid genera by the combination of an elongate body, funnel-shaped oral sucker, the relatively small number of large oral spines, highly lobed ovary, opposite to slightly oblique testes, uterine loops that are restricted to the hindbody and extend well posterior to the testes, and vitelline follicles that may extend from the ovary into the forebody, but do not extend anterior to the intestinal bifurcation.