Prochristianella macracantha

Haseli, Mohammad, Malek, Masoumeh & Palm, Harry Wilhelm, 2010, Trypanorhynch cestodes of elasmobranchs from the Persian Gulf, Zootaxa 2492, pp. 28-48 : 35

Prochristianella macracantha

( Fig. 1 )

(N=4): SL=1362 (1214–1601), SW at pb=228 (170–299), SW at pbo=171 (141–196), SW at pv=193 (148– 228), pbo=248 (209–294), bothrium length=245 (200–282), TW=27 (23–29) basal, TW=17 metabasal, TL=1540 (1372–1748), pv=867 (747–966), TSW=25 (17–30), pb=502 (411–588), BL=487 (380–576), BW=92 (49–146), BR=5.3, SP=1:3.5:1.7. Metabasal armature heteroacanthous typical, heteromorphous, in ascending half spirals of 8–9 solid hooks; hooks 1(1΄), L=7 (6–8), B=5 (2–9). Hooks 2 (2΄), L=8, B=4. Hooks 3 (3΄)–6 (6΄), L=8 (7–10), B=3. Hooks 7 (7΄)–9 (9΄), L=6 (5–7), B=2. Characteristic basal armature present. First 1-2 row of hooks small, uncinate, L=8, B=5. Large uncinate hooks in basal armature, L=16 (14–17), B=9 (7–11). Next rows with hastate hooks, L=7 (6–8), B=3. Basal swelling with long hooks on antibothrial surface, L=9 (8–10), B=1. Uncinate hooks with long base on basal swelling, L=5, B=4 (3–5); bill hooks on bothrial surface of basal swelling, L=5, B=9 (8–10). Long worms, L=6721 (6688–6753), with 11–12 segments. Strobila acraspedote. Mature segment, L=1794 (1472–2116), W=331. Cirrus sac 172 in diameter. Number of testes 50–58, arranged in 2 longitudinal rows; testes 111 (93–130) in diameter. Ovarian lobes, L=277 (233–322), W=59 (54–64). Mehli’s' gland, L=129 (98–159), W=80 (61–98). Vitelline follicles, L=56 (54–59), W=27 (25–29).

Remarks: Prochristianella macracantha was described for the first time by Palm (2004) from the spiral valve of Pastinachus sephen from Pelabuhan Ratu, Indonesia. Campbell and Beveridge (2009) reported P. macracantha in Pastinachus areus (= P. sephen Forsskål ) from the northern coast of Australia. Our specimens identified as P. macracantha were isolated also from P. cf. sephen in the present study, and the scolex measurements of the specimens from the localities correspond. The occurrence of this species is extended from the northern coast of Australia and the north-western part of the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf.

Figures

FIGURE 1 a – e. Prochristianella macracantha. a. Scolex. b. Bothrial surface, basal armature. c. External surface, basal armature. d. Internal surface, metabasal armature. e. Bothrial surface, metabasal armature. Scale bars: a, 100; b – e, 10.