title: Two gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from groupers (Serranidae) off Tunisia, with a key to Philometra species infecting serranid gonads.
abstract: Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies of nematode specimens (males and mature females) collected from the ovary of groupers (Serranidae, Perciformes) in the Mediterranean Sea off Tunisia (near Tunis and Sfax), two gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda, Philometridae) are reported: Philometra inexpectata n. sp. from the mottled grouper Mycteroperca rubra and P. jordanoi (López-Neyra, 1951) from the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus. Identification of both fish species was confirmed by molecular barcoding. The new species is mainly characterized by the length of equally long spicules (147-165 μm), the gubernaculum (63-93 μm long) bearing at the tip two dorsolateral lamellar parts separated from each other by a smooth median field, a V-shaped mound on the male caudal extremity, the presence of a pair of large caudal papillae located posterior to the cloaca and by the body length of the males (1.97-2.43 mm). Philometra inexpectata n. sp. is the fifth known gonad-infecting philometrid species parasitizing serranid fishes in the Mediterranean region. The males of P. jordanoi were examined by scanning electron microscopy for the first time; this detailed study revealed some new taxonomically important morphological features, such as the number and arrangement of cephalic and caudal papillae, presence of amphids and phasmids and mainly the lamellate structures at the posterior end of the gubernaculum. A key to gonad-infecting species of Philometra parasitic in serranid fishes is provided.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: František
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moravec
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax (FSS), Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaabane
authors.affiliation: ISYEB, Institut Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, UMR7205 CNRS, EPHE, MNHN, UPMC, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, CP51, 55 Rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Lou
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Justine
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax (FSS), Université de Sfax, BP 1171, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lassad
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neifar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000469:parasitology*; D017176:Dracunculoidea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D016266:Food Parasitology; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D010053:Ovary / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D017205:Spirurida Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*