title: Pseudorhabdosynochus venus n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Epinephelus howlandi (Perciformes: Serranidae) off New Caledonia.
abstract: Pseudorhabdosynochus venus n. sp. is described from specimens collected from the gills of Epinephelus howlandi off Nouméa, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The male sclerotised quadriloculate organ of P. venus, 61-101 microm in internal length, has an anterior chamber with a thin anterior wall, a very short cone and a short posterior tube. The sclerotised vagina, 50-67 microm in total length, is composed of an anterior open trumpet, an S-shaped canal, a tear-shaped principal chamber and a spherical accessory chamber; all parts are heavily sclerotised. The two squamodiscs have 10-11 rows of separate rodlets and no central closed row of rodlets. P. venus is differentiated from all other species of Pseudorhabdosynochus by the spectacular morphology of its sclerotised vagina. It is the first diplectanid described from E. howlandi.
authors.affiliation: Equipe Biogéographie Marine Tropicale, Unité Systématique, Adaptation, Evolution, (CNRS, UPMC, MNHN, IRD), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, Nouvelle Calédonie.
authors.forename: Damien D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hinsinger
authors.forename: Jean-Lou
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Justine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010473:Perciformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D010986:Platyhelminths / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification*