Cyanocitta Cristata) in Canada, with Comments on the Genus
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Proc. Helminthol. Soc. Wash. 53(2), 1986, pp. 270-276 Pseudaprocta samueli sp. n. (Nematoda: Aproctoidea) from the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) in Canada, with Comments on the Genus CHERYL M. BARTLETT' AND ROY C. ANDERSON Department of Zoology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2 W1, Canada ABSTRACT: Pseudaprocta samueli sp. n. is described from the thoracic air sac of 1 of 20 blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata (L.)) collected near Guelph, Ontario, Canada and this apparently represents the first report in the literature of Pseudaprocta in the New World. Specimens of Pseudaprocta, unidentifiable to species, from a blue jay in Alabama, U.S.A., had, however, been deposited in the United States National Museum in 1954. Pseudaprocta samueli belongs to that group of species within the genus that have short spicules (<500 jim) and 10-11 pairs of caudal papillae. It is distinguished by the irregular spacing of the cephalic spines and the presence of inflated cuticle in the caudal region of the female. An annotated list of and key to species in Pseudaprocta are given. The identities of many of the species reported in Eurasia require clarification. Aproctoids are oviparous nematode parasites Specimens of Pseudaprocta in the WHO Collabo- of the air sacs and orbital sinuses of birds. Their rating Centre for Filarioidea Collection at the Com- relationship to other superfamilies in the order monwealth Institute of Parasitology (CIP) in St. Al- bans, England, and in the Helminth Collection of the Spirurida is not well understood although an or- United States National Museum (USNM) in Beltsville, igin from Seuratoidea (Ascaridida) has been sug- Maryland, U.S.A., which were borrowed and examined gested (Chabaud, 1974; Bain and Mawson, 1981). included the type specimens of P. buckleyi (CIP Nos. Among the 7 recognized aproctoid genera, the B11 and H16) and specimens identified as P. ? decorata genus Pseudaprocta Shikhobalova, 1930 is easily (USNM No. 49305), P. decorata (USNM. No. 70593), P. gubernacularia (USNM No. 70597), and P. sicho- distinguished by the presence of small spines on tealinensis (USNM No. 70596). the cephalic extremity. These spines form a lobed pattern that Anderson and Bain (1976) referred to as "cordons" although they are not homolo- Results gous to the cordons found in Acuarioidea. Species Pseudaprocta samueli sp. n. of Pseudaprocta have been reported in Europe, (Figs. 1-19) Asia, Madagascar, and Australia but seldom in GENERAL: Spirurida, Aproctoidea, Aprocti- large numbers. The transmission of species of dae, Aproctinae, Pseudaprocta Shikhobalova, Pseudaprocta has not been studied although pre- 1930. Stout nematodes, width uniform over most sumbly it is similar to that of species ofAprocta of length but tapering towards bluntly rounded (see Quentin et al., 1976). extremities. Cuticle with delicate transverse The present study describes a new species from striations. Cephalic extremity (Fig. 12) with in- blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) in Canada and this conspicuous amphids, 4 large double papillae, 1 apparently represents the first report of the genus obscure papilla beside each amphid, and large in the New World. A brief taxonomic review of oral opening (Fig. 13). Cephalic spines delicate, Pseudaprocta is also presented herein. forming lobed but variable pattern around pa- pillae and amphids (Figs. 2, 10, 11); distance Materials and Methods between spines variable. Delicate cuticular line Blue jays collected near Guelph, Ontario, Canada, present along posteriormost aspects of lobes (not from 1979 to 1983 were examined for nematodes. visible in en face view). Buccal cavity present Nematodes found were fixed in hot 5% glycerin-70% alcohol and cleared for examination in glycerin; those (Fig. 9), walls of cavity formed of cuticle similar found in the thoracic air sacs represented a new species in appearance to that of body. Esophagus well of Pseudaprocta described herein. developed, muscular throughout (Figs. 1, 8). Esophageal-intestinal junction distinct. Excre- tory pore and vesicle conspicuous, excretory ca- 'Part of this study was completed while the senior nals in lateral chords (Fig. 19) readily visible. author was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Laboratoire de Zoologie (Vers), associe au CNRS, Museum Na- Deirids obscure, posterior to excretory pore, 1 tional d'Histoire Naturelle, 61 rue de BufFon, 75231 10-20 ,urn anterior to other. Paris Cedex 05, France. MALE (2 specimens, measurements of holo- 270 Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 271 Figures 1-7. Pseudaprocta samueli sp. n., male (2 specimens). 1. Anterior end, lateral view (holotype). 2a, b. Anterior extremity, ventral (a) and lateral (b) surface views (holotype). 3a, b. Spicules, right (a) and left (b), each with associated portion of gubernaculum (G); note irregular thickenings (IR) adjacent to proximal portions of spicules (paratype). 4. Posterior end, ventral view, arrow indicates unpaired papilla (holotype). 5. Posterior end, ventral view (paratype). 6. Posterior end, lateral view, arrow indicates unpaired papilla (holotype). 7. Posterior end, lateral view (paratype). type followed by paratype): Length 14, 11 mm. flation conspicuous in caudal region where it re- Maximum width 520, 380 [im. Taper of body sembles caudal alae (Figs. 6, 7). Numerous radial gradual at both ends. Cuticle thin over anterior striations running between inner and outer por- 1-2 mm of body, becoming gradually inflated tion of inflated cuticle (Figs. 4, 5) and appearing over remainder of body. Inflation greatest in lat- as minute dots at surface. Buccal cavity 20, 20 eral, ventrolateral, and dorsolateral regions. In- /um long and 15, 18 /um wide. Nerve ring 120, Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington 272 PROCEEDINGS OF THE HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY Figures 8-19. Pseudaprocta samueli sp. n., female (2 gravid specimens). 8. Anterior end, lateral view (allo- type). 9. Anterior extremity, ventral view (allotype). lOa, b. Anterior extremity, ventral (a) and lateral (b) surface views (allotype). lla, b. Anterior extremity, ventral (a) and lateral (b) surface views (paratype). 12. Anterior extremity, en face view (paratype). 13. Oral opening (left) and views at increasing depths in buccal cavity to level of esophagus (right) (paratype). 14. Egg from uterus of paratype. 15. Anterior end of larva within egg from uterus of paratype. 16. Posterior extremity, lateral view (allotype). 17. Posterior extremity, ventral view (allo- type). 18. Posterior end showing extent of cuticular inflation in caudal region (allotype). 19. Partial transverse section at midbody (paratype). 155 i^m and excretory pore 190, 180 /j.m from Length of esophagus 580, 520 /nm; maximum anterior extremity. Excretory vesicle volumi- width 100, 100 nm. Monorchic, testis located in nous with numerous oval inclusions (Fig. 1). anterior 'A-1/? of body. Tail in 1-2 spiral turns. Deirids 250-285 /um from anterior extremity. Anus 215, 200 ^m from posterior extremity. Pre-, Copyright © 2011, The Helminthological Society of Washington OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME 53, NUMBER 2, JULY 1986 273 ad-, and post-anal papillae present; 10 ventro- anterior end (Fig. 15) difficult to locate, tail long lateral pairs and 1 median unpaired in holotype and tapering. (Fig. 4), 11 ventrolateral pairs in paratype (Fig. TYPE HOST: Blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata (L.) 5) (note: the variation occurs in the number and (Corvidae). position of the papillae near the anus, and pa- LOCATION IN HOST: Thoracic air sac. pillae 8 and 9 on the right side are fused in the TYPE LOCALITY: Guelph, Ontario, Canada. paratype). Pair of papillae closest to caudal ex- INTENSITY AND PREVALENCE: Five worms in 1 tremity generally more lateral in position than of 20 blue jays. others (note: this is not true of the posteriormost SPECIMENS: Deposited in the Helminth Col- papilla on the left side in the paratype). Spicules lection of the United States National Museum, slightly dissimilar in morphology and length, left Beltsville, Maryland: USNM Nos. 79135 (ho- (Fig. 3b) 330, 340 Mm long, right (Fig. 3a) 320, lotype), 79136 (allotype), 79137 (paratypes). 335 nm long; strongly cuticularized over most of ETYMOLOGY: The species is named in honor length but distal region lightly cuticularized. Ir- of Professor W. M. Samuel, Department of Zo- regular thickenings sometimes present in prox- ology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alber- imal portions of spicular pouches (Fig. 3). Gu- ta, Canada. bernaculum present, formed by irregular DIAGNOSIS: Pseudaprocta samueli is closely re- thickening of distal and common portions of lated to P. decorata, P. buckleyi, and P. ungriai. spicular pouches (Fig. 3), readily visible. However, in P. samueli the cephalic spines are FEMALE (3 specimens, measurements of allo- numerous and the interval between them is ir- type (gravid) followed by 2 paratypes [gravid and regular (Figs. 2, 11, 12), in P. decorata they are nongravid, respectively]): Length 26, 27, 26 mm. also numerous but the interval between them is Maximum width 730, 670, 480 nm. Taper of regular (see fig. 1 in Li [1933] and figs. Ic and body gradual at anterior end, abrupt at posterior Id in Jaron [1967]), and in P. buckleyi they are end of gravid females but gradual at posterior few and obscure. Inflated cuticle occurs at the end of nongravid female. Cuticle thin over most posterior end of the female in P. samueli but this of body (Fig. 19), becoming conspicuously in- has not been reported in P. decorata and it is flated in lateral regions of posterior l/2 mm of absent in P. buckleyi. Pseudaprocta ungriai was body (Fig. 18) and resembling, as in male, caudal described on the basis of 1 damaged male spec- alae with numerous radial striations (Fig. 17). imen and the number and spacing of the cephalic Inflation more marked in gravid females than in spines were not determined. nongravid female. Buccal cavity 18, 20, 18 /mi long and 18, 18, 10 /mi wide. Nerve ring 150, Species in Pseudaprocta 125, 130 /mi and excretory pore 225, 180, 220 The 11 known species on Pseudaprocta, their fj,m from anterior extremity.