Parasites of south african fresh water fish 2. redescription of the african species of the genus phyllodistomum trematoda gorgoderidae and the description of a new species
Boomker, J.
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 51(2): 129-140
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0030-2465 Accession: 006062345
During 1980 a survey of the parasites of freshwater fish was conducted in the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers in the southern part of the Kruger National Park, Transvaal [South Africa]. A new species of Phyllodistomum, Braun, 1899, for which the name P. bavuri is proposed, was found in the urinary bladder of many of the catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822), examined. The new species resembles P. linguale Odhner, 1902 and P. vanderwaali Prudhoe and Hussey, 1977, but may be differentiated from the former species in that the ovary and the vitellaria are smooth, while those of P. linguale are irregularly lobed. The ovary of P. vanderwaali is irregularly lobed; that of P. bavuri never has more than 3 indistinct lobes. P. bavuri is much larger than P. vanderwaali. P. bavuri is readily differentiated from P. spatula (Odhner, 1902), P. spatulaeforme (Odhner, 1902), P. ghanense Thomas, 1958 and P. symmetrochis Thomas, 1958. For comparative purposes the African species are briefly redescribed and illustrated. P. bavuri occurred throughout the year and their numbers do not appear to fluctuate seasonally in the Kruger National Park.