Morphological and molecular characterization of Buzionema lutgardae n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) from the cockroach Byrsotria sp. (Blattaria: Blaberidae) in Cuba.

Buzionema lutgardae n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) is described from the cockroach Byrsotria sp. (Blattaria: Blaberidae), endemic to Cuba. Females of B. lutgardae n. sp. are shorter than those of B. validum Kloss, 1966 (16002150 µm vs. 31313378 µm), but the oesophagus is comparatively longer (b = 2.963.77 vs. 4.654.87). The lateral alae of the new species extend from ca. the midpoint of the cylindrical part of the procorpus to the level of the anus in contrast to the base of the basal bulb to the level of the anus in B. validum. The males of B. lutgardae n. sp. are shorter than those of B. validum (780940 µm vs. 11771423 µm) and their lateral alae end at some distance before the cloaca instead the level of the cloaca in B. validum. The phylogeny of B. lutgardae n. sp. is inferred by the D2-D3 domains of the 28S rDNA. B. lutgardae n. sp. and B. validum form a monophyletic clade with strong nodal support, as sister-group of the genus Leidynema Schwenck in Travassos, 1929.

Dentostomella translucida (Gerbil Pinworm) Infection in Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones Unguiculatus) Schulz and Krepkorgorskaja, 1932.

The popularity of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) as pets as well as experimental animals is continuously increasing. Mongolian gerbils are the main natural hosts of the nematode Dentostomella translucida, also referred to as pinworm, threadworm, or seatworm. D. translucida (Oxyuridae) was recently detected in the necropsy of a gerbil housed at the experimental animal production center of Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Mongolian gerbils are the main natural hosts of D. translucida, also referred to as pinworm. During necropsy in this animal, 26 parasites were collected from the small intestine and microscopically examined. The length of the female and male parasites was determined as 15.6-25.4 (mean, 18.3) and 10.2-16.8 (mean, 13.3) mm, respectively. The mean esophageal length in the female and male parasites was 397.3 and 325.3 mµ, respectively. The vulva of the females was close to the front end and was approximately 8.7 mm in length. The males had a single spiculum of approximately 342 mµ in length. There were seven papillae around the cloaca. During postmortem examination, eggs were also detected in feces collected from the gerbil's rectum. The eggs were spindle-shaped, slightly asymmetric, and had a diameter of 117-128 × 45-49 mµ (mean, 120 × 48 mµ). D. translucida, which is a parasite specific to gerbils, may easily affect other members of the animal colony. Thus, controling its presence in gerbil breeding units is essential.

Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus (Schneider, 1866) among Alouatta guariba clamitans (Cabrera, 1940) in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This study reports on infection by Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus among Alouatta guariba clamitans through biometry on adults and eggs. A total of 58 adult helminths were recovered from the small segment of the animal's large intestine. This study is the first report of this parasite among A. guariba clamitans in Rio de Janeiro.

Morphological, molecular and developmental characterization of the thelastomatid nematode Thelastoma bulhoesi (de Magalhães, 1900) (Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) parasite of Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blattodea: Blattidae) in Japan.

The American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blattodea: Blattidae) has been spreading worldwide by commerce and has successfully adjusted to living with humans. There are many reports of thelastomatid parasitic nematode isolated from P. americana in many countries including USA, Canada, India, Argentina, Bulgaria, but not in Japan. We have investigated the parasitic nematodes in P. americana lab strain and field-captured individuals in Japan and found that Thelastoma bulhoesi (de Magalhães, 1900) (Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) parasitizes with high infection rates. We described morphological, molecular, and developmental characters of the parasitic nematode because such information was missing despite it has been discovered more than one hundred years ago. We described morphometrics with DIC microscopy and fine structure of male and female adult with SEM observation. We also reveal the embryonic and postembryonic development of this nematode. This is the first report of a thelastomatid nematode isolated from American cockroach in Japan, and the data showed here is also very useful and fundamental for further analysis of the cockroach and parasite relations.

Distribution of Thelastomatoid Nematodes (Nematoda: Oxyurida) in Endemic and Introduced Cockroaches on the Galápagos Island Archipelago, Ecuador.

The thelastomatoid pinworm fauna (Nematoda: Oxyurida: Thelastomatoidea) was surveyed in 3 endemic species and 6 introduced species of cockroach hosts (Insecta: Blattaria) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. A total of 658 host specimens were examined from preserved collections that had been collected between 1966 and 2003 from 7 islands in the archipelago. Eight species of pinworms were identified from these cockroach hosts, including the dominant species Cephalobellus ovumglutinosus and a Severianoia sp. as well as Leidynema appendiculata, Hammerschmidtiella diesingi, an unidentified Cephalobellus species resembling Cephalobellus magalhaesi, an unidentified Protrellus species closely resembling Protrellus shamimi, and an undescribed Blattophila sp. Five new host records are identified for C. ovumglutinosus including the endemic Galápagos cockroaches Chorisoneura carpenteri, Ischnoptera snodgrassii, and Ischnoptera santacruzensis. These endemics were also infected with an undescribed Blatticola sp. Other species recorded resemble known pinworms from other hosts around the world. Prevalence between islands and between host species was variable, but total prevalence for individual pinworm species was consistently low (<10%). A single host specimen examined was infected with more than 1 pinworm species; otherwise only a single species was observed in each infected host. At least 1 introduced pinworm species carried to the islands via invasive cockroach hosts was present in endemic host species, but several globally widespread introduced pinworm species were absent from endemic cockroaches. Santa Cruz was inhabited by the greatest number of pinworm species, likely due to a higher rate of invasive host introduction. This survey, the first from this region, showed that the distribution and transmission of pinworms in the Galápagos Islands is complex and may provide future models of invertebrate dispersal and speciation in an ecosystem already rich with examples of evolution.

The systematics and evolution of pinworms (Nematoda: Oxyurida: Thelastomatoidea) from invertebrates.

The nematode order Oxyurida is unique in including species for which definitive host ranges are broad and may include vertebrate or invertebrate hosts. The superfamily Thelastomatoidea is a highly diverse assemblage of oxyurids occurring in cockroaches, diplopods, hydrophilid beetles, passalid beetles, several other coleopteran larvae, mole crickets, and, with few representative species documented, other arthropod hosts. Published research and revision of the Thelastomatoidea, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, provided several interesting hypotheses on the systematics and evolution of this group. In this review, these hypotheses are examined in the context of recent advances in taxonomy, discovery of additional species diversity and distribution, and preliminary phylogenetic hypotheses that have been proposed. There continues to remain a paucity of phylogenetic data that explore the phylogenetic relationships of the Thelastomatoidea and their relationships to vertebrate-parasitizing pinworms. A combination of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences for representative species across all of the major lineages will be important for more robust phylogenetic hypotheses. Much broader geographical and host taxon sampling is necessary to determine true diversity of the Thelastomatoidea. Modern approaches to species descriptions, such as improvements in light and scanning electron microscopy and the use of molecular approaches to matching male and female nematodes, can also be applied to improve our understanding of the evolution of these fascinating parasites.

A new species of Protrellus Cobb, 1920 (Nematoda, Thelastomatidae) parasite of the field cockroach Blatella vaga Hebard, 1919 (Blattodea, Blattidae) from Catamarca, Argentina.

A new species of the genus Protrellus, P. blatta sp. nov. parasitizing a field cockroach Blatella vaga Hebard, 1919, from El Tala river, Catamarca, Argentina, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by having the mouth opening circular, the buccal capsule with eight very small teeth, the nerve ring around oesophageal corpus, the excretory pore anterior to vulva, the vulva anterior to base of oesophagus, didelphic, the posterior ovary reflexed anterior to rectum, about one third of a body length from posterior end, the egg ellipsoidal, colourless, bearing a lateral cuticular crest, tail conical, with long filiform projection, the male with testis single, outstretched, one spicule, very small, short and straight, gubernaculums absent, the genital papillae arranged in three pairs of ventrolateral papillae, of which the first pair are close together and preanal position, two pairs postanal, tail conical and short, less than one twentieth of total body. A taxonomic key of Protrellus species is given.

[Occurrence of Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus (Schneider, 1866) (Nematoda, Oxyuridae) in Alouatta guariba clamitans Cabrera, 1940 (Primates, Atelidae) in Minas Gerais, Brazil]. / Ocorrência de Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus (Schneider, 1866) (Nematoda, Oxyuridae) em Alouatta guariba clamitans Cabrera, 1940 (Primates, Atelidae) em Minas Gerais, Brasil.

This study aims to register the occurrence of Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus in Alouatta guariba clamitans, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Two specimens of A. guariba clamitans, died accidentally, have been necropsied for parasitological studies. Only the large intestine and caecum were infected by T. minutus. The parasitism intensity was 6650 parasites and the density was 2.6 parasites/cm3 of large intestine. In the caecum, the mean intensity was 6753 +/- 490.73 parasites, with mean density of 6.23 +/- 5.13 parasites/cm3. The present study supplies information on adult nematodes biometry and this is the first record of T. (T.) minutus in A. guariba clamitans from Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Ocorrência de Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus (Schneider, 1866) (Nematoda, Oxyuridae) em Alouatta guariba clamitans Cabrera, 1940 (Primates, Atelidae) em Minas Gerais, Brasil / Occurrence of Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus (Schneider, 1866) (Nematoda, Oxyuridae) in Alouatta guariba clamitans Cabrera, 1940 (Primates, Atelidae) in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Este trabalho teve como objetivo registrar a ocorrência de Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus em Alouatta guariba clamitans no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, e fornecer dados quantitativos sobre as infrapopulações desses nematoides, além de dados morfológicos e biométricos de machos e fêmeas. Dois espécimes de A. guariba clamitans, mortos acidentalmente, foram necropsiados, visando aos estudos parasitológicos. Apenas o intestino grosso e o ceco estavam parasitados por T. (T.) minutus. A intensidade do parasitismo no intestino grosso foi de 6650 parasitos e a densidade de 2,6 parasitos/cm³ de intestino. No ceco, observou-se uma intensidade média de 6.753 ± 490,73 parasitos, com uma densidade média de 6,23 ± 5,13 parasitos/cm³. O presente trabalho fornece informações sobre a biometria dos adultos de T. (T.) minutus nessa espécie de hospedeiro, e se constitui no primeiro registro dessa espécie em A. guariba clamitans em Minas Gerais, Brasil.

This study aims to register the occurrence of Trypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) minutus in Alouatta guariba clamitans, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Two specimens of A. guariba clamitans, died accidentally, have been necropsied for parasito-logical studies. Only the large intestine and caecum were infected by T. minutus. The parasitism intensity was 6650 parasites and the density was 2.6 parasites/cm³ of large intestine. In the caecum, the mean intensity was 6753 ± 490.73 parasites, with mean density of 6.23 ± 5.13 parasites/cm³. The present study supplies information on adult nematodes biometry and this is the first record of T. (T.) minutus in A. guariba clamitans from Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

[Severianoia blapticola sp. n. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae): a new nematode species from blaberid cockroaches].

A new nematode species of the genus Severianoia (Schwenk, 1926) Travassos, 1929, S. blapticola sp. n., is described from the hind gut of cockroach Blaptica dubia (Serville, 1839) from laboratory culture. The main morphological feature of S. blapticola sp. n. is the presence of columnar cuticular structures of different height on the ventral side of male posterior end. In the gut of B. dubia these nematodes coexist with another thelastomatid genus, Cranifera Kloss, 1960 [C. cranifera (Chitwood, 1932) Kloss, 1960]. Males of C. cranifera are characterized by the presence of cloacal projection and columnar structures on both dorsal and ventral sides of male posterior end.

A new Oxyurida (Thelastomatidae) from Cyclocephala signaticollis Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Argentina.

Cephalobellus cyclocephalae n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae), a parasite of larvae of Cyclocephala signaticollis (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae), found in Argentina is described and illustrated. It is characterized by the cuticle striated at the anterior end in both sexes, with 15 annules, buccal cavity short and not armed, and the male with 4 pairs of genital papillae, 1 pair of preanal papillae, 3 pairs of postanal papillae.

Neyraiella distinctus n. sp. (Oxyurida, Blattophilidae) parasite of nymphs of Gryllodes laplatae Sauss (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) in Argentina.

Neyraiella distinctus n. sp. was found parasitizing nymphs of the cricket Gryllodes laplatae Sauss in City Bell, Argentina. This species was characterized by having the excretory pore in the posterior end of the basal bulb, vulva protruding with one lip well developed in the 1/3 end of the body, anus of the female with wings, male with a single spicule without any sculpture, gubernaculum and bursa are absent, six pairs of genital papillae arranged in two preanal pairs, one adanal pair and three postanal pairs, and the tail appendage in both sexes was short and conic.

[A new species of the genus Cameronia Basir (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) parasite of Gryllodes laptatae Sauss (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in Argentina]. / Una nueva especie del género Cameronia Basir (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) parásita de Gryllodes laplatae Sauss (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) en Argentina.

Cameronia laplatae n. sp. found in City Bell, Argentina, parasitizing crickets is described and illustrated. The new species is distinguished from other members of the genus Cameronia by the distribution pattern of the genital papillae in the male. It differs from all congeners mainly in having two pairs preanal y two pairs postanal papillae.

Helminthoxys abrocomae n. sp. (Nematoda: oxyurida) from Abrocoma cinerea in Bolivia.

A new pinworm parasite is described from Abrocoma cinerea, a caviomorph rodent of the superfamily Octodontoidea from the Andes of Bolivia. The new species, Helminthoxys abrocomae n. sp., possesses special secretory mamelons which we consider a synapomorphy of the genus Helminthoxys. Within Helminthoxys, the closest relatives are found in octodontoid rodents: H. gigantea occurs in Octodon degus in Chile and O. bridgesi in Argentina, and H. freitasi is a parasite of Thrichomys aperoides in Brazil. H. abrocomae n. sp. differs from both other species morphometrically in relation to different parts of the body in both sexes, particularly the size of the body, spicule, gubernaculum and eggs, by the presence of a rough cuticular area around the cephalic sensory papillae and by the possession of very well-developed cervical alae which are strongly curved dorsally. H. abrocomae n. sp. is the tenth nominal species described in Helminthoxys, all of them being parasites of caviomorph rodents.

Cephalobellus lobulata n. sp. (Oxyurida:Thelastomatidae) A parasite of Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: gryllotalpidae) from Argentina.

Cephalobellus lobulata n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) a parasite of the mole cricket Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) found in Argentina is described and illustrated. It is characterized by a short buccal cavity armed with three teeth, a striated cuticle with the first annule wide with four lobes and the second annule divided in twelve lobes. The male have three pairs of preanal papillae and two pairs of postanal papillae.

Cephalobellus lobulata n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) a parasite of Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) from Argentina

Cephalobellus lobulata n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) a parasite of the mole cricket Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) found in Argentina is described and illustrated. It is characterized by a short buccal cavity armed with three teeth, a striated cuticle with the first annule wide with four lobes and the second annule divided in twelve lobes. The male have three pairs of preanal papillae and two pairs of postanal papillae.

Binema bonaerensis n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) parasite of Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in Argentina.

The nematode Binema bonaerensis n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) is described from the intestine of the mole cricket of Neocurtilla claraziana Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is distinguished mainly by having a conical tail; three sclerotized arches in the buccal cavity; an excretory pore immediately posterior to the base of the esophagus and the presence of five pairs of male genital papillae with one pair preanal and four pairs postanal.

Euryconema brevicauda n. sp. (Oxyurida: Thelastomatidae) a parasite of the mole cricket Neocurtilla claraziana (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in Argentina.

Euryconema brevicauda n. sp. parasitizing the mole cricket Neocurtilla claraziana found in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by the male having 3 pairs of genital papillae, 1 pair preanal and 2 pairs postanal, and a short, conical-shaped tail.

The Enterobiinae subfam. Nov. (Nematoda, Oxyurida) pinworm parasites of primates and rodents.

Recent redescriptions of most members of the Oxyuridae Cobbold, 1864 parasitic in primates revealed that they share following derived characters: sexual dimorphism of lateral alae (single-crested in the males, double-crested in the females); in males a second pair of genital papillae always surrounded by strongly cuticularized rings; in females, uterine tube divided into 2 parts by a cellular wall forming a diaphragm. These characters are interpreted as synapomorphies, providing evidence that these taxa represent a monophyletic group, and we propose to classify them in a new subfamily of the Oxyuridae: the Enterobiinae subfam.nov. The Enterobiinae as recognized herein occurs in both Old World and New World Primates and rodents of the family Sciuridae (tribe Sciurini in the Holarctic region and tribe Xerini in the Ethiopian region). The new subfamily includes the following genera: Enterobius Leach, 1853; Colobenterobius Quentin, Betterton & Krishnasamy, 1979; Rodentoxyuris Quentin & Tenora 1974; Xeroxyuris Hugot, 1995; Lemuricola Chabaud & Petter, 1959; Protenterobius Inglis, 1961; Madoxyuris Chabaud, Brygoo & Petter, 1965; Trypanoxyuris Vevers, 1923; Hapaloxyuris Inglis & Cosgrove, 1965 and Paraoxyuronema Artigas, 1936. The genus Paraoxyuronema is revalidated as a subgenus of Trypanoxyuris due to its specialized buccal structures. This genus groups all pinworm nematodes specific for primates of the family Atelidae, including: P. brachytelesi Artigas, 1937 occurring in Brachyteles arachnoides; P. atelis (Cameron, 1929) occurring in Ateles spp., and P. duplicidens (Buckley, 1931) and P. lagothricis (Buckley, 1931), which are parasites of Lagothrix spp. Inglisoxyuris inglisi Chabaud, Petter & Golvan, 1961, included in the monospecific genus Inglisoxyuris and previously classified as a subgenus of the Lemuricola, does not share the characters of the new subfamily and, until its precise classification can be considered with more information, it is proposed to refer to this species as an Oxyuridae sensu lato. A diagnosis and a key of the genera included in the new subfamily are given.