First record of the sea snake tick Amblyomma nitidum Hirst and Hirst, 1910 (Acari: Ixodidae) from Taiwan.

The sea snake tick (Amblyomma nitidum) is a host specialist of snakes in the genus Laticauda and is one of the few ticks which could be regarded as semi-marine. Yet despite the attention this species has received due to its bizarre ecology, its distribution remains poorly known as geographic records of its occurrence through the Asia-Pacific are highly fragmentary. For the first time this species is recorded from Taiwan based on specimens collected from the yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina).

New species and new records of camallanid nematodes (Nematoda, Camallanidae) from marine fishes and sea snakes in New Caledonia.

Recent examinations of camallanid nematodes (Camallanidae) from marine fishes off New Caledonia, collected in the years 2003-2011, revealed the presence of the following five new species of Procamallanus Baylis, 1923, all belonging to the subgenus Spirocamallanus Olsen, 1952: Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) dispar n. sp. from the common ponyfish Leiognathus equulus (type host) and the striped ponyfish Aurigequula fasciata (both Leiognathidae, Perciformes); Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) bothi n. sp. from the leopard flounder Bothus pantherinus (Bothidae, Pleuronectiformes); Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) hexophtalmatis n. sp. from the speckled sandperch Parapercis hexophtalma (Pinguipedidae, Perciformes); Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) synodi n. sp. from the sand lizardfish Synodus dermatogenys (Synodontidae, Aulopiformes); and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) thalassomatis n. sp. from the yellow-brown wrasse Thalassoma lutescens (Labridae, Perciformes). These are described based on light and scanning electron microscopical (SEM) studies. An additional three congeneric nematodes unidentifiable to species are reported from perciform fishes and a shark: Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 3 of Moravec et al., 2006, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 1, and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 2. Ten fish species are recorded as new hosts for Camallanus carangis Olsen, 1954. Two camallanids, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 3 (subgravid female) and Camallanus carangis (fourth-stage larva) were also found in the digestive tract of the New Caledonian sea krait Laticauda saintgironsi, serving apparently as postcyclic and paratenic hosts, respectively, for these fish nematodes.

TITLE: Nouvelles espèces et nouveaux signalements de nématodes camallanidés (Nematoda, Camallanidae) provenant de poissons marins et de serpents de mer en Nouvelle-Calédonie. ABSTRACT: L'étude récente de nématodes camallanidés (Camallanidae) de poissons marins capturés au large de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, recueillis de 2003 à 2011, a révélé la présence des cinq nouvelles espèces suivantes de Procamallanus Baylis, 1923, toutes appartenant au sous-genre Spirocamallanus Olsen, 1952 : Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) dispar n. sp. de Leiognathus equulus (hôte-type) et de Aurigequula fasciata (tous deux Leiognathidae, Perciformes) ; Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) bothi n. sp. de Bothus pantherinus (Bothidae, Pleuronectiformes) ; Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) hexophtalmatis n. sp. de Parapercis hexophtalma (Pinguipedidae, Perciformes) ; Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) synodi n. sp. de Synodus dermatogenys (Synodontidae, Aulopiformes) ; et Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) thalassomatis n. sp. de Thalassoma lutescens (Labridae, Perciformes). Ces espèces sont décrites sur la base d'études réalisées au microscope électronique à balayage et au microscope photonique. Trois autres nématodes congénères non identifiables au niveau spécifique sont signalés chez des poissons perciformes et un requin : Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 3 de Moravec et al., 2006, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 1 et Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 2. Dix espèces de poissons sont rapportées comme nouveaux hôtes pour Camallanus carangis Olsen, 1954. Deux camallanidés, Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. 3 (femelles subgravides) et Camallanus carangis (larve du quatrième stade) ont également été trouvés dans le tube digestif du serpent marin de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Laticauda saintgironsi, qui semble servir respectivement d'hôte post-cyclique et d'hôte paraténique pour ces nématodes de poissons.

Postmortem examination of Australian sea snakes ( Hydrophiinae): Anatomy and common pathologic conditions.

There is limited published information about disease in wild sea snakes and no standardized guideline for postmortem examination of sea snakes. Identifying causes of morbidity and mortality of marine vertebrate species has been pivotal to understanding disease factors implicated in stranding events and assisting with the formulation of conservation plans. Additionally, postmortem findings can provide valuable information on life history traits and the ecology of these reclusive species. Sick, moribund, or dead sea snakes are intermittently washed ashore along Australian and international beaches and provide an opportunity to examine a subset of the population and identify causes of population decline. We present an illustrated description of sea snake anatomy and describe a systematic approach to postmortem examination of sea snakes. We describe common pathologic conditions identified from clinical and postmortem examinations of stranded Australian sea snakes from southeast Queensland. Notable pathologic conditions include traumatic injury, inflammatory conditions, parasitic infections, and neoplasia.