Ascocotyle (Phagicola)

Ascocotyle (Phagicola) sp.

(®gure 8)

Metacercaria

Morphology. (Morphology based on one specimen from Cichlasoma urophthalmus.) Body pyriform, markedly tapering anteriorly, 1240 long and 544 wide. Small unicellular glands situated laterally at acetabular level. Preoral lobe welldeveloped. Oral sucker subterminal, 78 long and 102 wide, armed with single row of 20 spines. Posterior appendage long, narrow and curved. Prepharynx 171 long. Pharynx strongly muscular, large, 71 long and 76 wide. Oesophagus very short. Intestinal caeca long, narrow, reaching to testes. Ventral sucker slightly postequatorial, 84 long and 92 wide. Sucker ratio 1 5 0.98. Testes large, symmetrical, near posterior extremity, 146±172 long and 182±198 wide. Ventrogenital sac well-developed, containing large gonotyl 81 long and 154 wide, with 10 large, ®ngerlike retractile bodies. Ovary transversely oval, pretesticular. Vitelline follicles welldeveloped, lateral, between ovary and posterior extremity. Excretory bladder Y-shaped; excretory pore terminal.

Second intermediate host. Cichlasoma urophthalmus (Cichlidae).

Site of infection. Fins.

Distribution. Campeche (El Vapor).

References from Mexico. Vidal-MartõÂnez et al. (2000); present data.

Specimens deposited. CHCM-30.

Remarks. The metacercaria found in ®ns (?) closely resembles those of A. (L.) mcintoshi as described above in all but one morphological features. The only diOEerence is in spination of the oral sucker: A. (L.) mcintoshi possesses two complete rows of circumoral spines whereas the present metacercaria has only one circle, i.e. its oral sucker is armed with only 20 spines instead of 38±42 in A. (L.) mcintoshi. Both taxa also diOEer in the site of location (®ns versus mesentery) and the second intermediate host (Cichlidae versus Poecillidae). Therefore, the specimen studied is provisionally identi®ed as Ascocotyle (Phagicola) sp. until new material is available.