Recent examinations of some marine fishes from off the southern coast of Iraq revealed the presence of two new species of Dichelyne (Dichelyne) Jägerskiöld, 1902 (Nematoda: Cucullanidae), both intestinal parasites, namely: D. (D.) lethrini n. sp. from the smalltooth emperor Lethrinus microdon Valenciennes (Lethrinidae, Acanthuriformes) and D. (D.) iraqiensis n. sp. from the humphead snapper Lutjanus sanguineus (Cuvier) (Lutjanidae, Acanthuriformes). Specimens are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations. Dichelyne (D.) lethrini n. sp. is mainly characterised by the length of spicules (522 µm), presence of a dorsal caecum, location of deirids at the level of the posterior end of oesophagus and the post-oesophageal position of the excretory pore, number (10 pairs) and distribution of caudal papillae in the male, and the presence of two minute terminal spines on the female tail tip. Dichelyne (D.) iraqiensis n. sp. differs from the species of the subgenus Dichelyne mainly based on the absence of caudal spines, the presence of a dorsal caecum, the length of spicules (789-884 µm), the location of deirids and the excretory pore approximately at the same level, and the size of eggs (72-78 × 42-51 µm). These new species infecting marine fishes in Iraq represent new geographic records of cucullanids of the subgenus Dichelyne from fishes in marine waters off Iraq.

• MeSH
• Ascaridida * MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Nematoda * MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
• Fish Diseases * parasitology   MeSH
• Perciformes * parasitology   MeSH
• Fishes parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Iraq MeSH

Three species of parasitic nematodes are redescribed based on light and scanning electron microscopical (SEM) examinations of newly collected specimens in fishes of South Carolina, USA: Dichelyne (Cucullanellus) bullocki Stromberg & Crites, 1972 from Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus) (Fundulidae); Dichelyne (Dichelyne) diplocaecum Chandler, 1935 from Ictalurus furcatus (Valenciennes) (Ictaluridae); and Hysterothylacium pelagicum Deardorff & Overstreet, 1982 from Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus (Coryphaenidae). For the first time, intraspecific variations in the number of intestinal caeca were observed in D. bullocki, as well as previously unknown males and gravid females of D. diplocaecum are described; this enabled to synonymise D. mexicanus Caspeta-Mandujano, Moravec & Salgado-Maldonado, 1999 with D. diplocaecum. Unlike most congeneric species, H. pelagicum has no double postanal papillae, as confirmed by SEM. A key to the species of Dichelyne Jägerskiöld, 1902 parasitic in freshwater and brackish-water fishes in North America is provided.

• MeSH
• Ascaridida anatomy & histology   classification   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
• Fishes parasitology   MeSH
• Fresh Water * MeSH
• Saline Waters * MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• South Carolina MeSH
• North America MeSH