Echinobothrium joshuai n. sp. (Cestoda: Diphyllidea) from the Roughnose Legskate, Cruriraja hulleyi (Rajiformes: Rajidae), off South Africa

摘要

A new species of diphyllidean cestode is described from Cruriraja hulleyi, a recently described species of skate collected off the coast of South Africa. Echinobothrium joshuai n. sp. differs from all 39 of its valid congeners in its possession of "B" hooks, each with a knob-like tubercle on its posterior proximal face. The uterus of this species is also unique in consisting of a meandering tube in mature proglottids rather than a median sac. This species most closely resembles E. clavatum in hook formula (3-4 8/7 3-4), but differs in possessing fewer cephalic peduncle spines (7-10 vs. 11-16) and a greater number of testes (23-27 vs. 11-14). This is the first report of a diphyllidean from this genus of skate and also from South African waters. This is also one of the few diphyllideans known to parasitize deeper-water elasmobranchs.