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Some Spirurid Nematodes (Spirurida) from Freshwater and Brackish-Water Fishes in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, with Descriptions of Two New Species

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite the fact that Okinawa Prefecture represents a very interesting subtropical region of Japan, its fauna of nematodes parasitizing fishes is still little-known. Therefore, new data are needed to recognize the species composition of these parasites in this zoogeographically remarkable region.

Methods

Helminthological examinations of some freshwater and brackish-water fishes in Okinawa Prefecture carried out in the years 2010, 2016 and 2018, revealed two new and four insufficiently known species of spirurid nematodes (Spirurida), all gastrointestinal parasites. These were studied with the use of light and scanning electron microscopy.

Results

All nematode species recorded are described: Rhabdochonidae: Rhabdochona honshuensis Moravec et Nagasawa, 1989 from Glossogobius celebius (Valenciennes) (Gobiidae, Perciformes) (new host), Rhabdochona iriomotensis sp. nov. from Ophieleotris sp. (Eleotridae, Perciformes) and Rhabdochona sp. (only females) from Eleotris acanthopoma Bleeker and E. fusca (Forster) (both Eleotridae, Perciformes); Cystidicolidae: Spinitectus mirabilis sp. nov. from Kuhlia rupestris (Lacepède) (Kuhliidae, Perciformes) and Spinitectus sp. larvae from E. acanthopoma; and Camallanidae: Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. (fourth-stage larva) from Yongeichthys criniger (Valenciennes) (Gobiidae, Perciformes). Rhabdochona iriomotensis sp. nov. is very similar to R. honshuensis, but differs from it in the presence of well-developed ventral precloacal ridges. Spinitectus mirabilis sp. nov. differs from its congeners and all other cystidicolids in having eggs provided with both lateral swellings and polar filaments.

Conclusions

In addition to the discovery of two new nematode species, Rhabdochona iriomotensis sp. nov. and Spinitectus mirabilis sp. nov., the findings of all other species represent new host and geographical records. Rhabdochona denudata honshuensis Moravec et Nagasawa, 1989 is elevated to the level of an independent species R. honshuensis.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Takeshi Sasaki (Fujukan, University Museum, UR), Toru Naruse (Tropical Biosphere Research Center, Iriomote Station, UR) and the staff of the Research Center for Subtropical Fisheries (Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency) for providing laboratory facilities. We are grateful to Nobuhiko Shimadzu (Shimadzu Alien Fishes Laboratory), Daisuke Uyeno (Kagoshima University), Hirotaka Katahira (Azabu University) and Masato Nitta (Kobe University) for assistance with fish sampling and identification. Thanks are also due to the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, institution supported by the MEYS CR (LM2015062 Czech-BioImaging) and ERDF (No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001775, for their support with obtaining scientific data presented in this paper, and to Blanka Škoríková of the same Institute for help with the illustrations.

Funding

This study was partly supported by the institutional support of the Institute of Parasitology, BC AS CR (RVO: 60077344) to F.M. and by the Ocean Exposition Commemorative Park Management Foundation, Okinawa, to K.N.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    František Moravec

  2. Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan

    Kazuya Nagasawa

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  1. František Moravec
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Correspondence to František Moravec.

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Moravec, F., Nagasawa, K. Some Spirurid Nematodes (Spirurida) from Freshwater and Brackish-Water Fishes in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, with Descriptions of Two New Species. Acta Parasit. 66, 163–177 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00268-1

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