The discovery of Moniliformis saudi (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae) in the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus in Malta: morphological, molecular, and metal analyses.

The acanthocephalan Moniliformis saudi Amin, Heckmann, Mohammed, Evans, 2016 was originally described from the desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg) in central Saudi Arabia. The distribution of P. aethiopicus extends to North Africa and west to Mauritania. Moniliformis saudi was recently found in the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus (Lereboullet) in Malta. The distribution of A. algirus is restricted to the North African and east Iberian Mediterranean coast and associated islands. Both host species cohabit and share the same feeding grounds in northern Algeria where common infections appear to take place. The morphology of specimens from both acanthocephalan populations was similar, with minor variations mostly related to the relatively larger Maltese specimens especially the trunk and the male reproductive system. Taxonomic features like the cone-shaped anterior trunk, size and formula of proboscis and hooks, the receptacle, size and shape of eggs, anatomy of the apical proboscis sensory pores, and the stellate body wall giant nuclei were, however, practically identical. SEM and microscope images of specimens of the Maltese population emphasize their qualitative characteristics such as the degree of the extreme spiral muscle development and the development of the posterior nucleated pouches of the proboscis receptacle. Proboscis hooks of specimens from both the Maltese and the Saudi populations had similarly high levels (percent weights) of calcium, moderate levels of phosphorus, and minimal levels of sulfur, magnesium and sodium marking the diagnostic value of the Energy Dispersive x-ray analysis in species recognition. Newly generated partial sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) of the mitochondrial gene were generated from M. saudi from Malta. Moniliformis saudi from Malta, when compared with other available sequences of the same species isolates available in the GenBank database, formed a strongly supported clade with other congeners. The comparison of the molecular profiles of specimens from populations in Malta, Spain, and Saudi Arabia shows no or low genetic variation between them. Ultimately, we provide a morphological and molecular description of a new population of M. saudi from a new host species in a new geographical location, vastly exceeding the originally described ones from Saudi Arabia. A Cox 1 haplotype network inferred with 10 sequences revealed the presence of eight haplotypes, one of which was shared between the populations of Malta and Spain of M. saudi.

First molecular description of Neorhadinorhynchus nudus (Acanthocephala: Cavisomidae) from fish in the pacific coast of Vietnam, with notes on biogeography.

Neorhadinorhynchus nudus (Harada, 1938) Yamaguti, 1939 (Cavisomidae) was morphologically described from the frigate tuna Auxis thazard (Lacépède) (Scombridae) in Nha Trang, Pacific south Vietnam. Females of N. nudus were fully described for the first time in the Pacific. Its original inadequate description as Rhadinorhynchus nudus (Harada, 1938) was corrected in material from Fiji Island, the Red Sea and Pacific Vietnam and errors in the text and line drawings of Harada were repeated in subsequent major publications where it underwent considerable nomenclature changes. New descriptive and biogeographical notes are included. We also provided here the molecular characterization of the nuclear gene (18S) and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) sequence data of N. nudus. Furthermore, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationship of N. nudus within the family Cavisomidae and with other isolates were performed incorporating nuclear (18S) and mitochondrial (cox1) sequence data using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). The phylogenetic results showed that N. nudus has a relationship with other isolates of the same species and the median-joining network showed the pattern of haplotypes that reflected the structure of the populations.

The Description of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from the Mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal Southern Iraq.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article is to describe a new and unusual species of Neoechinoprhynchus Stiles & Hassall, 1905 from the Arabian Gulf coast off Iraq. METHODS: Routine methods for examination of fish hosts and recovery of acanthocephalean parasites were followed. Parasites were cleaned, relaxed overnight in refrigerated water then fixed in cold 70% ethanol. Standard procedure for staining, dehydration, clearing in xylene and mounting in Canada balsam was followed. RESULTS: Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. is described from five whole-mounted specimens collected from the mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Oxudericidae) captured in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq in 2008. It is distinguished from other species of Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1905 by a combination of the following diagnostic characters: very small ellipsoid trunk with tapering posterior end and correspondingly small size organs; body wall with similar thickness dorso-ventrally; proboscis wider than long with long anterior hooks having prominent roots; hooks in second and third circles much smaller and rootless; receptacle 5-6 times as long as proboscis with a triangular cephalic ganglion at its base; no para-receptacle structure; lemnisci relatively long and equal, not reaching anterior testis; all male reproductive structures contiguous in posterior two-thirds of trunk; testes equatorial and much wider than long; anterior testis smaller than posterior testis; large syncytial cement gland with six giant nuclei; cement reservoir adjacent to anterior end of sperm vesicle adjacent to Saefftigen's pouch. No sexual dimorphism except that the trunk is more rounded in females than in males. The female reproductive system is about one-third as long as the trunk with the selective apparatus in two positions and uterine bell angulating ventrad. Female lemnisci are longer than in males. Comparisons with worldwide and North American-related species that have partially similar features are made. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. with unusual small body and wide ellipsoid shape acanthocephalan is considered the first acanthocephalan species belonging to Neoechinorhynchus reported from Palearctic region compared to similar seven species reported only from Neotropical (three species), Nearctic regions (two species), far east (one species) and oriental (one species).