Folia Parasitologica 62[1] 31 (2015) | DOI: 10.14411/fp.2015.031

Some nematodes of the genus Rhabdias Stiles et Hassall, 1905 (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) parasitising amphibians in French Guiana

Yuriy Kuzmin¹, Louis H. du Preez², Kerstin Junker³

¹ Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Kyiv, Ukraine;

² Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa;

³ Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, South Africa

Based on material collected from Rhinella cf. margaritifera (Laurenti) and Rhi. marina (Linnaeus) (Anura: Bufonidae) during a parasite survey of the herpetofauna of French Guiana, updated descriptions of Rhabdias androgyna Kloss, 1971 and R. fuelleborni Travassos, 1926 are presented. In addition to metrical data, which may overlap in closely related species, emphasis is placed on qualitative characters. Rhabdias androgyna is distinguished by the unique presence of an outer and inner cephalic cuticular inflation, a shoulder-like broadening of the body at the anterior end, a wide and shallow buccal capsule (average buccal ratio 0.36) with serrated lumen in apical view, a prominent anterior dilatation of the oesophagus, and the presence of an additional posterior dilatation anterior to the oesophageal bulb. Characters that may help to differentiate R. fuelleborni from closely related species parasitising the Rhi. marina species group are the presence of six relatively uniform lips, and the division of the buccal capsule into an anterior and posterior segment, with differently structured walls. Both the presence of R. androgyna and R. fuelleborni in French Guiana constitute new geographic records. A single specimen of Rhabdias sp. is described from Pristimantis chiastonotus (Lynch et Hoegmood) (Anura: Craugastoridae). This species differs from all its Neotropical congeners by the distinct globular swelling of its head, similar to that seen in only one Palaearctic and one Afrotropical Rhabdias species. A list of species of Rhabdias parasitising amphibians in the Netropical Realm is also provided.

Keywords: Rhabdias androgyna, Rhabdias fuelleborni, Rhinella, Pristimantis, morphology, Neotropical Realm, new geographical records

Received: February 4, 2015; Accepted: March 19, 2015; Published online: June 4, 2015  Show citation