A new species of Vexillata (Nematoda: Trichostrongylina: Ornithostrongylidae) parasite of Heteromys desmarestianus (Rodentia: Heteromyidae) from Costa Rica.
In July 1999, 2 heteromyid rodents Heteromys desmarestianus Gray, 1868, were collected from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, and examined for parasites. Individuals of a new species of Vexillata (Travassos, 1937) Durette-Desset, 1970, were found from the intestine of hosts. Vexillata brooksi n. sp. differs from all other congeners by the presence of spicules divided at the tip instead of simple spicules. The new species closely resembles Vexillata legallae Denke, 1977, and Vexillata convoluta (Caballero and Cerecero, 1943); however, it can be distinguished from both species by possessing a smaller number of cuticular ridges at the posterior part of the body in males (9 vs. 11 and 12, respectively) and by the absence of a carene at this level.
Laboratorio de Helmintología, Instituto de Biología, UNAM, Ap. Postal 70-153, C.P. 04510, Mexico, D.F, Mexico.
Jorge
J
Falcón-Ordaz
Luis
L
García-Prieto
D000818:Animals; D003364:Costa Rica; D005260:Female; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*