Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) is a public community college near Mount Pleasant, Texas..
Aethycteron malleusodes n. sp. (Monopisthocotyla: Dactylogyridae) is described from the gills of the federally threatened leopard darter, Percina pantherina (Moore & Reeves) (Perciformes: Percidae), from the Cossatot River (Little River Drainage of the Red River System) in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas, USA. Aethycteron malleusodes n. sp. is morphologically most similar to Aethycteron malleus (Mueller (1938) by possessing a ventral bar with a posterior medial protuberance, a relatively straight male copulatory organ (MCO) with a distal spiraling sheath, and tip of the MCO with a pronounced flange. The body size and sclerites are generally smaller in A. malleusodes n. sp. and the spiraling sheath wraps around the MCO 2.5-3 times, compared to 3-4 times in A. malleus. We document the first helminth described from this threatened fish species. This article was registered in the Official Register of Zoological Nomenclature (ZooBank) as urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:232173AF-D776-48BD-9A8E 660C1764C006.
An expanded dataset of caryophyllidean tapeworms (Cestoda) of the genus Promonobothrium Mackiewicz, 1968, parasites of suckers (Cypriniformes: Catostomidae) in North America, was used to reassess the host specificity of these parasites. Molecular data from newly collected specimens from diverse hosts revealed contrasting patterns in host range among congeneric tapeworms, ranging from strict specialists (half of all species, namely P. minytremi, P. fossae, P. mackiewiczi, P. papiliovarium and Promonobothrium sp. from Ictiobus niger) parasitizing a single host species, to family generalists (three species, namely P. hunteri, P. ingens and P. rogersi) occurring in fishes of different sucker subfamilies (Catostominae and Ictiobinae). Promonobothrium currani is considered a congeneric specialist and P. ulmeri a subfamily generalist. The high proportion of generalists (40%) is exceptional in the Caryophyllidea. Based on this study, it is recommended to verify records of tapeworms from atypical hosts, preferably using molecular data from vouchered specimens (hologenophores or paragenophores). https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EBFB81F5-6565-45D4-A9B8-48C146591248
Examination of the feces of a salvaged dead-on-the-road woodchuck, Marmota monax (L.), opportunistically collected from western Arkansas, for coccidian parasites, yielded oocysts of Eimeria callospermophili Henry, 1932 and Eimeria os Crouch and Becker, 1931. Oocysts of E. callospermophili were spheroidal to subspheroidal and measured 18.1 × 17.0 µm (length [L] × width [W]), with a ratio (L/W; shape index) of 1.1; 1 or 2 polar granules and an oocyst residuum were present. Sporocysts were ovoidal and measured 8.5 × 6.3 µm, with an L/W ratio of 1.3; a knob-like Stieda body was present as well as a sporocyst residuum composed of 5–10+ granules between the sporozoites. Oocysts of E. os were mostly ovoidal and measured 21.9 × 17.9 µm, with an L/W ratio of 1.2; 1 or 2 polar granules and a micropyle were present. Sporocysts were ellipsoidal and measured 11.8 × 6.5 µm, with an L/W ratio of 1.8; a translucent nipple-like Stieda body was present as well as a sporocyst residuum composed of spheroidal or an irregular mass of densely packed granules between the sporozoites. We provide new photomicrographs of these coccidians as well as a summary of the 6 valid eimerians from this host. As such, we document a new geographic distribution for E. callospermophili and E. os.
Nothing is known about coccidians (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Pacific blue-tailed skink, Emoia caeruleocauda. Here, we report mensural and morphometric data on a new species of Isospora from E. caeruleocauda from Guam, US Territory. Feces from four E. caeruleocauda collected by hand in November 2023 were placed in individual vials containing 2.5
A new geographic distributional record is documented for the avian coccidian, Isospora vanriperorum Levine, 1982 from a northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis found dead in southwestern Arkansas, USA. The species was originally described from cardinalis from Hawaii and more recently reported from C. cardinalis from northeastern Texas. We also report information on an adelid pseudoparasite coccidian from the same cardinalis.
