Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)

Microbothrium Olsson, 1869 (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) is the type genus of Microbothriidae and presently comprises three accepted species that parasitize squaliform sharks. More than seven decades have passed since the species affiliated with this genus was last reported. This study describes tw...

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Main Authors: Masato Nitta, Shogo Ota
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology 2025-01-01
Series:Species Diversity
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author Masato Nitta
Shogo Ota
author_facet Masato Nitta
Shogo Ota
author_sort Masato Nitta
collection DOAJ
description Microbothrium Olsson, 1869 (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) is the type genus of Microbothriidae and presently comprises three accepted species that parasitize squaliform sharks. More than seven decades have passed since the species affiliated with this genus was last reported. This study describes two new Microbothrium species that parasitize the body surfaces of squalid sharks in Kyushu, southern Japan, along with their molecular data. Microbothrium myzolepis n. sp. was recovered from Squalus mitsukurii Jordan and Snyder, 1903, collected off Kuchino-erabu Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the vaginal pore opening on the left side of the body, presence of a slightly curved vagina, and 1–2 turns in the sclerotized tube associated with the penis. In addition, two individuals of Cirrhigaleus barbifer Tanaka, 1912 reared at the Oita Marine Palace Aquarium (Umitamago) were found to be infected with M. cirrhigalei n. sp. This newly described species can be readily differentiated from the other four Microbothrium species by the presence of a muscular vaginal pore, simple vagina, and three turns in the sclerotized tube associated with the penis. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis presented in this study supports the monophyly of the Microbothriidae. However, this analysis did not support the monophyly of each subfamily, suggesting that the subfamily classification may not accurately reflect evolutionary relationships. This study provides a taxonomic key for the identification of Microbothrium species.
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series Species Diversity
spelling doaj-art-3dd265b82ebb47d2affa8cc6e679fa572025-01-08T21:54:27ZengJapanese Society of Systematic ZoologySpecies Diversity1342-16702189-73012025-01-01301253610.12782/specdiv.30.25Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)Masato Nitta0Shogo Ota1Pathology Division, Nansei Field Station, Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education AgencyOita Marine Palace Aquarium, UmitamagoMicrobothrium Olsson, 1869 (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) is the type genus of Microbothriidae and presently comprises three accepted species that parasitize squaliform sharks. More than seven decades have passed since the species affiliated with this genus was last reported. This study describes two new Microbothrium species that parasitize the body surfaces of squalid sharks in Kyushu, southern Japan, along with their molecular data. Microbothrium myzolepis n. sp. was recovered from Squalus mitsukurii Jordan and Snyder, 1903, collected off Kuchino-erabu Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the vaginal pore opening on the left side of the body, presence of a slightly curved vagina, and 1–2 turns in the sclerotized tube associated with the penis. In addition, two individuals of Cirrhigaleus barbifer Tanaka, 1912 reared at the Oita Marine Palace Aquarium (Umitamago) were found to be infected with M. cirrhigalei n. sp. This newly described species can be readily differentiated from the other four Microbothrium species by the presence of a muscular vaginal pore, simple vagina, and three turns in the sclerotized tube associated with the penis. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis presented in this study supports the monophyly of the Microbothriidae. However, this analysis did not support the monophyly of each subfamily, suggesting that the subfamily classification may not accurately reflect evolutionary relationships. This study provides a taxonomic key for the identification of Microbothrium species.ectoparasitemonopisthocotyleam. myzolepis n. sp.m. cirrhigalei n. sp.
spellingShingle Masato Nitta
Shogo Ota
Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
Species Diversity
ectoparasite
monopisthocotylea
m. myzolepis n. sp.
m. cirrhigalei n. sp.
title Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
title_full Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
title_fullStr Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
title_full_unstemmed Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
title_short Two New Species of Microbothrium (Monogenea: Microbothriidae) Parasitic on Japanese Squalids (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes)
title_sort two new species of microbothrium monogenea microbothriidae parasitic on japanese squalids elasmobranchii squaliformes
topic ectoparasite
monopisthocotylea
m. myzolepis n. sp.
m. cirrhigalei n. sp.
work_keys_str_mv AT masatonitta twonewspeciesofmicrobothriummonogeneamicrobothriidaeparasiticonjapanesesqualidselasmobranchiisqualiformes
AT shogoota twonewspeciesofmicrobothriummonogeneamicrobothriidaeparasiticonjapanesesqualidselasmobranchiisqualiformes