Examinations of some deep-sea hydrothermal vent fishes from the western and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean revealed the presence of three new species of Ascarophis van Beneden, 1871 (Nematoda: Cystidicolidae), all gastrointestinal parasites, namely: A. justinei n. sp. from Thermarces cerberus Rosenblatt & Cohen (type host) and Thermichthys hollisi Cohen, Rosemblatt & Moser (both Zoarcidae, Perciformes) and A. globuligera n. sp. from T. cerberus from the Northern East Pacific Rise, and A. monofilamentosa n. sp. from Pyrolicus manusanus Machida & Hashimoto (Zoarcidae, Perciformes) from the Manus Basin near Papua New Guinea. Specimens are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations. In addition to other morphological differences, all the three new species differ from each other by the structure of eggs: eggs bearing a lateral superficial swelling (A. globuligera n. sp.), eggs with one conspicuously long filament on one pole (A. monofilamentosa n. sp.) and eggs smooth, without any filaments or swellings (A. justinei n. sp.). The egg morphology of the two first-named species is unique within all species of Ascarophis, which indicates that all the three newly described species of Ascarophis are probably endemic to the respective hydrothermal vents as their fish hosts.

• MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Nematoda * anatomy & histology   MeSH
• Hydrothermal Vents * MeSH
• Perciformes * MeSH
• Fishes parasitology   MeSH
• Spiruroidea * anatomy & histology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Pacific Ocean MeSH

PURPOSE: The nematode Ascarophis distorta Fusco et Overstreet, 1978 (Cystidicolidae), originally described from the butterflyfish Chaetodon paucifasciatus Ahl (Perciformes, Chaetodontidae) in the Red Sea, was established based solely on the light microscopical (LM) examination of specimens. However, the present taxonomy of cystidicolid nematodes is mostly based on details of the cephalic structures properly visible only with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). METHODS: Helminthological examinations of some marine fishes from coral reefs off New Caledonia, South Pacific, carried out in the years 2003-2007, revealed the presence of A. distorta in two Chaetodon spp. and thus enabled its redescription. The nematode specimens were studied with the use of both LM and SEM. RESULTS: The specimens of A. distorta were obtained from the stomach of the threadfin butterflyfish Chaetodon auriga Forsskål and the vagabond butterflyfish Chaetodon vagabundus Linnaeus. This is just the second record of this parasite since its description 43 years ago. SEM, used in this species for the first time, revealed some taxonomically important, previously unreported or insufficiently described morphological features, such as details in the cephalic structure, the shape of deirids, structure of the distal tip of the left spicule, or the exact number and distribution of male caudal papillae. The finding of A. distorta in C. auriga and C. vagabundus off New Caledonia represents new host and geographical records. The examination of 39 specimens of butterflyfishes from off New Caledonia, belonging to 14 Chaetodon spp. and 3 Heniochus spp., revealed that the nematode was only present in the 2 fish species listed above. CONCLUSIONS: This parasite seems to be host-specific to only certain species of butterflyfishes (Chaetodon spp.), and is probably widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as its hosts.

• Keywords
• Chaetodontidae, Marine fish, Morphology, Parasitic nematode, South Pacific Ocean,
• MeSH
• Nematoda * MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
• Fish Diseases * MeSH
• Perciformes * MeSH
• Stomach MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• New Caledonia MeSH

Recent examinations of spirurid nematodes (Spirurida) from deep-sea or coral reef marine fishes off New Caledonia, collected in the years 2006-2009, revealed the presence of the following five species: Ichthyofilaroides novaecaledoniensis (Moravec et Justine, 2009) n. gen., n. comb. (transferred from Ichthyofilaria Yamaguti, 1935) (females) (Guyanemidae) from the deep-sea fish Hoplichthys citrinus (Hoplichthyidae, Scorpaeniformes), Philometra sp. (male fourth-stage larva and mature female) (Philometridae) from Epinephelus maculatus (Serranidae, Perciformes), Ascarophis (Dentiascarophis) adioryx Machida, 1981 (female) (Cystidicolidae) from Sargocentron spiniferum (Holocentridae, Beryciformes), Ascarophis (Ascarophis) nasonis Machida, 1981 (males and females) from Naso lituratus and N. unicornis (Acanthuridae, Perciformes), and Ascarophisnema tridentatum Moravec et Justine, 2010 (female) from Gymnocranius grandoculis (Lethrinidae, Perciformes). Two species, I. novaecaledoniensis and A. nasonis, are redescribed based on light microscopical (LM) and scanning electron microscopical (SEM) examinations, the latter used in these species for the first time. Morphological data on the specimen of A. tridentatum from the new host species are provided. Philometra sp. (from E. maculatus) most probably represents a new gonad-infecting species of this genus. The newly established genus Ichthyofilaroides n. gen. is characterized mainly by the presence of a small buccal capsule and by the number and distribution of cephalic papillae in the female; it is the sixth genus in the Guyanemidae.

TITLE: Nouvelles mentions de nématodes spirurides (Nematoda, Spirurida, Guyanemidae, Philometridae & Cystidicolidae) de poissons marins de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, avec redescriptions de deux espèces et érection d’Ichthyofilaroides n. gen. ABSTRACT: L’étude récente de nématodes Spirurida de poissons marins de mer profonde ou des récifs coralliens au large de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, collectés dans les années 2006-2009, a révélé la présence des cinq espèces suivantes : Ichthyofilaroides novaecaledoniensis (Moravec et Justine, 2009) n. gen., n. comb. (transféré depuis Ichthyofilaria Yamaguti, 1935) (femelles) (Guyanemidae) du poisson de profondeur Hoplichthys citrinus (Hoplichthyidae, Scorpaeniformes), Philometra sp. (larve mâle de quatrième stade et femelle mûre) (Philometridae) d’Epinephelus maculatus (Serranidae, Perciformes), Ascarophis (Dentiascarophis) adioryx Machida, 1981 (femelle) (Cystidicolidae) de Sargocentron spiniferum (Holocentridae, Beryciformes), Ascarophis (Ascarophis) nasonis Machida, 1981 (mâles et femelles) de Naso lituratus et N. unicornis (Acanthuridae, Perciformes), et Ascarophisnema tridentatum Moravec et Justine, 2010 (femelle) de Gymnocranius grandoculis (Lethrinidae, Perciformes). Deux espèces, I. novaecaledoniensis et A. nasonis, sont redécrites sur la base de la microscopie optique et de la microscopie électronique à balayage, cette dernière étant utilisée pour la première fois chez ces espèces. Des données morphologiques sur le spécimen d’A. tridentatum de la nouvelle espèce hôte sont fournies. Philometra sp. (d’E. maculatus) représente très probablement une nouvelle espèce infectant les gonades de ce genre. Le genre nouvellement établi Ichthyofilaroides n. gen. se caractérise principalement par la présence d’une petite capsule buccale et par le nombre et la répartition des papilles céphaliques chez la femelle. C’est le sixième genre des Guyanemidae.

• Keywords
• Acanthuridae, Holocentridae, Hoplichthyidae, Serranidae, South Pacific, Spirurida,
• MeSH
• Dracunculoidea classification   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Host Specificity MeSH
• Spirurida Infections veterinary   MeSH
• Coral Reefs MeSH
• Larva anatomy & histology   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
• Fish Diseases parasitology   MeSH
• Oceans and Seas MeSH
• Fishes parasitology   MeSH
• Spirurida anatomy & histology   classification   isolation & purification   ultrastructure   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• New Caledonia MeSH
• Oceans and Seas MeSH