Abstract
Species of the genus Lepidapedon are divided into various groups and subgroups based on vitelline distribution relative to the acetabulum and anterior extent of the excretory vesicle. Members of this genus predominantly parasitise gadiform fishes and are commonly collected from relatively deep waters. A recent study of deep-sea helminths from macrourids of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea revealed six new species of this genus. L. mexicanensis n. sp., of the elongatum group, elongatum subgroup, differs from other species in this subgroup in proportions (as % of body length), lacking confluent vitelline fields between both the ovary and anterior testis and the testes, and in having a smaller egg and body size. L. nezumiatis n. sp., of the elongatum group, desclersae subgroup, differs from both L. filiformis and L. desclersae in having intermediate egg and body sizes, and a longer oesophagus than prepharynx. L. caribbaei n. sp. and L. longivesicula n. sp., of the garrardi group, congeri subgroup, differ from L. congeri in having a sucker-ratio of 1:<1. L. caribbaei n. sp. and L. longivesicula n. sp. differ from each other in that L. caribbaei n. sp. has numerous long, barb-like, deeply imbedded spines, a less elongate body, an infundibuliform oral sucker, a similar-sized oesophagus and prepharynx, and a caecal bifurcation which is closer to the acetabulum than oral sucker, while L. longivesicula n. sp. has shorter, serrate or plate-like, lightly imbedded, widely to sporadically spaced spines, a more elongate body, a spherical to subspherical oral sucker, a longer oesophagus than prepharynx, and a caecal bifurcation which is closer to the oral sucker than acetabulum. L. desotoensis n. sp., of the rachion group, rachion subgroup, is distinct from both L. luteum and L. abyssensis in having a smaller size, lacking cervical glands or pharyngeal gland cells, and possessing dark-staining particles in the mesenchyme, while it differs from L. abyssensis specifically in having a much longer oesophagus than prepharynx, lateral vitelline fields that are not confluent intertesticularly, and wider eggs. L. zaniophori n. sp., also of the rachion subgroup, differs from both L. cascadensis and L. genge in having a smaller egg size, a shorter prepharynx and oesophagus than pharynx, and vitelline fields that are intertesticular but only slightly encroach between the ovary and anterior testis. L. sammari and L. spiniferi are designated as incertae sedis, and L. quiloni and L. stromateusi are designated as species inquirendae. New parasite keys and host records for Coelorinchus coelorhincus, C. caribbaeus and Nezumia cyrano are offered. Support is given to Lepidapedon probably being the dominant digenean genus in deep water.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdel Aal, T.M., Banaja, A.A. & Al Zanbagi, N.A. (1985) Trematodes of fishes from the Red Sea: two new species of Lepidapedon Stafford, 1904 (Lepocreadiidae). Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology, 15, 165–170.
Armstrong, H.W. (1974) A study of the helminth parasites of the family Macrouridae from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea: their systematics, ecology and zoogeographical implications. Texas A&M University, PhD thesis, 329 pp.
Blend, C.K. (1996) The digenetic trematodes parasitizing macrourid fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea: an examination of their systematics, zoogeography and hostparasite ecology. Texas A&M University, MS thesis, 305 pp.
Bray, R.A. (1995) Annotated checklist of digenean parasites of Macrouridae (Teleostei, Gadiformes). Acta Parasitologica, 40, 168–192.
Bray, R.A., Cribb, T.H. & Barker, S.C. (1996) Four species of Lepidapedoides Yamaguti, 1970 (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from fishes of the southern Great Barrier Reef, with a tabulation of host-parasite data on the group. Systematic Parasitology, 34, 179–195.
Bray, R.A. & des Clers, S.A. (1992) Multivariate analyses of metrical features in the Lepidapedon elongatum (Lebour, 1908) species-complex (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) in deep and shallow water gadiform fishes of the NE Atlantic. Systematic Parasitology, 21, 223–232.
Bray, R.A. & Gibson, D.I. (1989) The Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of fishes from the north-east Atlantic: review of the genus Neolepidapedon Manter, 1954, with a description of N. smithi n. sp. Systematic Parasitology, 13, 11–23.
Bray, R.A. & Gibson, D.I. (1991) The Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of fishes of the north-east Atlantic: Profundivermis intercalarius n. g., n. sp. from the marine fish Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus (Hector) (Macrouridae) from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. Systematic Parasitology, 18, 121–125.
Bray, R.A. & Gibson, D.I. (1995) The Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of fishes from the north-east Atlantic: a review of the genus Lepidapedon Stafford, 1904. Systematic Parasitology, 31, 81–132.
Bray, R.A. & Gibson, D.I. (1997) The Lepocreadiidae Odhner, 1905 (Digenea) of fishes from the north-east Atlantic: summary paper, with keys and checklists. Systematic Parasitology, 36, 223–228.
Campbell, R.A. & Bray, R.A. (1993) Lepidapedon spp. (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from deep-sea gadiform fishes of the NW Atlantic Ocean, including four new species. Systematic Parasitology, 24, 99–110.
Cohen, D.M., Inada, T., Iwamoto, T. & Scialabba, N. (1990) Gadiform fishes of the world (Order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis, No. 125, 10, Rome: FAO, 442 pp.
Heath, B.M. (1989) A study of the endoparasitic helminths of deep sea fishes from southeastern Australia: taxonomy, zoogeography and host-parasite ecology. University of New England, Armidale, PhD thesis, 360 pp.
Lumb, S.M., Bray, R.A. & Rollinson, D. (1993) Partial small subunit (18S) rRNA gene sequences from fish parasites of the families Lepocreadiidae and Fellodistomidae (Digenea) and their use in phylogenetic analyses. Systematic Parasitology, 26, 141–149.
Machida, M. & Kamegai, S. (1997) Digenean trematodes from deep-sea fishes of Suruga Bay, central Japan. National Science Museum Monographs, No. 12, Deep-sea fauna and pollutants in Suruga Bay, Tokyo: National Science Museum, 19–30.
Manter, H.W. (1954) Some digenetic trematodes from fishes of New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 82, 475–568.
Munroe, T.A. (1976) Helminth parasites of deep-sea benthic fishes of Hudson Submarine Canyon: taxonomy and host-parasite relationships. Southeastern Massachusetts University, MS thesis, 197 pp.
Singh, J.P. & Varma, P.K. (1983) On some new digenea from marine fishes of the Arabian Sea at Quilone, India. Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress, 70, 132.
Yamaguti, S. (1938) Studies on the helminth fauna of Japan. Part 21. Trematodes of fishes. IV. Kyôto: S. Yamaguti, 139 pp.
Zdzitowiecki, K. & Cielecka, D. (1997a) Digenea of fishes of the Weddell Sea. I. Parasites of Macrourus whitsoni (Gadiformes, Macrouridae). Acta Parasitologica, 42, 23–30.
Zdzitowiecki, K. & Cielecka, D. (1997b) Digenea of fishes of the Weddell Sea. III. The Lepocreadiidae (genera Neolepidapedon and Lepidapedon), parasites of Notothenioidea. Acta Parasitologica, 42, 84–91.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Blend, C.K., Dronen, N.O. & Armstrong, H.W. Six new species of Lepidapedon Stafford, 1904 (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from deep-sea macrourid fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with revised keys to the species of the genus. Syst Parasitol 45, 29–51 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006281324802
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006281324802