Metapolystoma falcatum Landman & Verneau & Raharivololoniaina & Preez 2021, n. sp.
Creators: name: Landman, Willem
name: Verneau, Olivier
name: Raharivololoniaina, Liliane
name: Preez, Louis du
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Platyhelminthes
Monogenea
Polystomatidea
Polystomatidae
Metapolystoma
Metapolystoma falcatum

description: 3.1.2. Metapolystoma falcatum n. sp. (Fig. 4-7; Table 2)
3.1.2.1. Type host. Boophis doulioti (Mantellidae).
3.1.1.7. Zoobank registration. The Life Science Identifier (LSID) of the article is: 59F6A99A-C667-48 EB-9EA4-881D43956065. The life science identifier (LSID) of the new name Metapolystoma vencesi n. sp. Landman et al. is: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 680E18A9-64D6-40C9-87D9- 1AC5F28A1030.
3.1.1.8. Etymology. In recognition of Professor Miguel Vences, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, for his dedication to the study of Madagascan herpetofauna.
3.1.1.9. Description. Measurements reflected in Table 2. Body pyriform (Fig. 2), dorsoventrally flattened, widest section at 57% of total length from anterior end, body length 2.7 times greater than width. Mouth sub- 3.1.2.2. Type locality. Ankarafantsika, Madagascar (Fig. 1), (16.115976S; 47.095631E).
3.1.2.3. Site in host. Gills of tadpoles and urinary bladder of mature frogs.
3.1.2.4. Level of infection. Three of 22 frogs collected were infected. One mature and 13 juvenile parasites were recovered, with a maximum of 12 recovered from a single host (prevalence 13.6%. mean intensity 4.7). Seven of 10 tadpoles collected were infected with a total of 13 neotenic parasites, while as many as three parasites were infecting a single host (prevalence 70%; mean intensity 1.85). Though the name neotenic for some polystomes can be confusing (see Badets and Verneau, 2009), it refers here to egg producing parasites that were recovered from the gills of tadpoles.
3.1.2.5. Type material. Morphological descriptions are based on one mature parasite, eight juveniles and seven neotenics. One sexually mature specimen (Holotype NMBP 560), four immature bladder parasites (Paratypes NMBP 561–564) and four neotenics (Paratypes NMBP 565–568), all from the type locality, were deposited in the parasitic worm collection, National Museum, Aliwal Street, Bloemfontein 9301.
3.1.2.6. Voucher material. Remaining specimens in polystome collection, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
3.1.2.7. Zoobank registration.
The Life Science Identifier (LSID) of the article is: 59F6A99A-C667- 166
48 EB-9EA4-881D43956065. The LSID of the new name Metapolystoma falcatum n. sp. Landman et al. is: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FB1716E2- 5C61–4C53-9A2F-BB364D6782A8.
3.1.2.8. Etymology. The species epithet refers to the exceptionally long curved tips of marginal hooklets two to seven (falcatum =sickle shaped, curved, hooked, armed with scythes).
3.1.2.9. Description. Mature parasite (Fig. 4‒5).
Measurements reflected in Table 2. Body pyriform (Fig. 4), dorsoventrally flat, widest section at 66% of total length from anterior end, body length 2.4 times greater than width. Mouth sub-ventral, surrounded by false oral sucker. Posterior haptor 19% of body length bearing three pairs of haptoral suckers equal in size. Marginal hooklets placed as for other polystomes and as described for M. vencesi n. sp., pairs one and eight larger than pairs two to seven (Fig. 5a). Well-167
developed hamuli between posterior-most haptoral suckers with deep cut between handle and guard (Fig. 5b). Hamuli development presented in Fig. 5c. Medial pharynx length greater than width, positioned immediately posterior to or at the margin of false oral sucker. Intestine bifurcates immediately posterior to pharynx at 11% from anterior, converging posteriorly at 82% from anterior, stretching in between haptoral suckers; no prehaptoral anastomoses. Intestine bears lateral diverticula, length equal to width. Medial diverticula only posterior to ovary, length greater than width.
Testis follicular, only a small section visible, positioned directly posterior to the ovary, ventral to intestine. Vas deferens widens anteriorly to form sinuous semen vesicle 23–40 (30 ± 6; 1) wide, 301 long, measuring 4% of total length, narrowing towards genital bulb, opening
168
in common genital opening. Genital pore opening mid-ventral, posterior to intestinal ceca bifurcation at 12% from anterior, genital bulb muscular, surrounded by glandular cells, armed with genital crown bearing eight genital spines (Fig. 5d).
Ovary elongated, not lobed, positioned posterior to midbody, length four times greater than width,10% of body length. Oviduct 411 long, 22–48 (30 7; 1) wide. Uterus massive and narrow, occupying most of the space between intestinal caeca, tubiform, serpentines between ootype ¨ and genital bulb. Eggs operculated. Holotype released 171 eggs with only 11 remaining in utero. Some eggs contain fully developed oncomiracidia. Mehlis’ gland distinct. Two parallel vaginae 262‒235 long, 102 wide, situated on lateral margins, bearing multiple marginal openings. Vaginal vestibule cup-shaped, 21% from anterior. Vitellaria dorsal to intestinal tract, extends throughout most of body and haptor, except areas occupied by female reproductive organs. Genito-intestinal canal prominent, 943 long, 10–46 (23 ± 9; 1) wide, situated directly posterior to ovary.
Neotenic parasite (Fig. 6‒7).
Measurements obtained from seven egg-producing neotenic parasites. Body pyriform (Fig. 6), dorsoventrally flat, ventrally concave, 1.419 –3.307 (2.265 ± 667; 7) long. Maximum width 904–1.376 (1121 ± 368; 3). Body length 2–5 (3 ± 1; 6) times greater than width. Mouth 100–148 (124 ±17; 5) in diameter, sub-ventral, surrounded by false oral sucker. Posterior haptor 313–526 (411 ±89; 7) long, 541–1.166 (936 ± 305; 7) wide. Haptor length-body length ratio 0.13–0.24 (0.2 ±0.04; 6), haptor bearing three pairs of haptoral suckers equal in size 103–226 (178 ± 32; 47). Hamuli absent. Marginal hooklets placed as for M. vencesi n. sp., pairs one 28.2 long (Fig. 7a), larger than pairs two to seven 22.6–27.7 (25.5 ±1.5; 15), (Fig. 7b), pairs eight 27.5–35 (30.5 ± 3.155; 8) long (Fig. 7c). Medial pharynx length 199–312 (244 ± 45; 5) equal to width 207–312 (245 ±41; 5), positioned immediately posterior or at the margin of false oral sucker. Intestine bifurcates at distance 27–30% (30% ± 2%; 3) from anterior, situated posterior to pharynx, converging posteriorly at 77–81% (80% ± 2.7%; 3) from anterior, stretching into area between haptoral suckers; no prehaptoral anastomosis. Intestine with lateral diverticula, length greater than width. Diverticula in posterior half longer than anterior. Medial diverticula only posterior to ovary, length greater than width, narrower than lateral diverticula.
Testis follicular, though only a small section was visible, positioned directly posterior to vitello-vaginal canal, ventral to intestine. Vas deferens not visible. Genital pore opening mid-ventral, posterior to intestinal ceca bifurcation, at distance 42–51% (46% ±4%; 3) from anterior. Genital bulb diameter 31–51 (41 ± 9; 4), muscular, surrounded by glandular cells, armed with genital crown bearing eight to eleven genital spines 7.9–11.8 (9.8 ±1; 10) long.
Ovary elongate, 256–580 (401 ±120; 7) long, 67–117 (91 ±19; 7) wide, not lobed, situated in middle of body, length three-six times greater than width, measuring 16–21% (17 ±2.18%; 6) of body length. Oviduct 15 long, 6–28 (13 ± 6; 1) wide. O¨otype 171–173 long, ovoid, containing a maximum of one ovoid, operculate egg 171–173 long, 132–142 wide. Uterus absent, eggs laid immediately after production. Mehlis’ gland distinct. Vaginae absent. Vitellaria dorsal to intestinal tract, extended throughout most of body, except area occupied by female reproductive organs. Genito-intestinal canal prominent, 257 long, 7–47 (18 ± 8; 1) wide, situated posterior to ovary.
description: Published as part of Landman, Willem, Verneau, Olivier, Raharivololoniaina, Liliane & Preez, Louis du, 2021, First record of Metapolystoma (Monogenea: Polystomatidae) from Boophis tree frogs in Madagascar, with the description of five new species, pp. 161-178 in International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 14 on pages 166-169, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.01.012, http://zenodo.org/record/10668146