ON A NEW GENUS PARAMACROLECITHUS (TRI~MATODA: ALLOCREADIIDAE) FROM A CYPRINID FISH, RASBORA RASBORA (HAMILTON) BY C. B. SRIVASTAVA AND R. K. GrlOSH (Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta-12, India) Received August 14, 1967 (Communicated by Dr. B. S. Chauhan, v.a.sc.) ABSTRACT Paramacrolecithus rasborai n.g., n.sp. from Indian freshwater eyprihid fish, Rasbora rasbora (Hamilton) has been described. WHILE studying the trematode parasites of freshwater fishes in 1961, a few forms were collected from the gut of a cypfinid fish, Rasbora rasbora (Hamilton) from the Umiam river in Assam. These parasites on detailed study were found to represent a new genus of the family Allocrcadiidae Stossich, 1904. They have been described here as Paramacrolecithus rasborai n.g., n.sp. The description is based on ten specimens. All measurements are in millimetres. Paramacrolecithus rasborai N.G., N.sp. (Text-Figs. 1 and 1 a) Body is elliptical leaf-like and measures 2-952-3.375 in length and 0.918-1.215 in its maximum width. Cuticle is smooth. Oral sucker is terminal, almost round and measures 0.198--0.288 0.270--0.315. It is followed by a small prepharynx. Pharynx is globular, 0.081-0.108X0.144--0.171. It leads to long, slender oesophagus, measuring 0.279-0.333 0.027-0"072. Two caeca reach the posterior extremity and end blindly. Acetabulum is round, almost equal to or slightly larger than the oral sucker, 0.252-0.315 0.234--0.306 and is placed in the anterior third of the body. Ratio of two suckers is 1 : 1-1.18. Testes two, almost round, 0.225-0.333 0.144-0.162 and 0.243 0.216, placed in the posterior half of the body in obliquely t~ndem position. Citrus m 179
180 C.B. SRIVASTAVA AND R. K. GHOSn sac is curved structure between the acetabulum and intestinal bifurcation, containing vesicula seminalis, prostatic complex and small muscular cirrus. It measures 0.207--0.279 0.072-0.090. Vesicula serninalis externa is absent. Genital pore submedian, slightly towards right side in the space between the right intestinal caecum and the acetabulum. FIo. 1. Paramacrolecithus rasborai n.g., n.sp. Ovary is round or oval, submedian, pretesticular, postacetabular and measures 0.225-0.270 0.162. Receptaculum seminis, Laurer's canal and shell gland present. Uterus extends from the level of acetabulum to some distance behind the posterior testis. Uterine coils pass through the space between ovary and anterior testis and also between intertesticular spaces. A muscular metraterm is present. Eggs numerous, yellow, cup-shaped and measure 0"054-0.081x'0.045-0.054. Vitelline follicles commence from the
On Paramacrolecithus from a Cyprinid Fish, R. rasbora 181 level of pharynx and extend upto the posterior extremity in lateral fields. In post-testicular area they are contiguous. o Fro. la. Ovarian Complex of P. rasborai n.g., n.sp. Excretory vesicle is tubular, extending upto the posterior border of the ovary. Excretory pore terminal, opening on a terminal excretory papilla. Host.--?Rasbora rasbora (Hamilton). Location.--Intestine. Locality.--Barapani, Shillong (Assam) (Umium river). Type specimens deposited in the National Zoological Collections at the Zoological Survey of India Calcutta--l~los. W 6730/1 to W 6732/1. DISCUSSION Paramacrolecithus n.g., falls under the subfamily Wallininae Yamaguti, 1958, as it agrees with it in most of its major characters. Yamaguti (1958) placed the following seven genera under the subfamily Wallininae: Macroderoides Pearse, 1924; Vietosoma Van Cleave et Muller, 1932; Gauhatiana Dayal et Gupta, 1954; ParamacroderoidesVenard, 1941; Parasitotrema Miller, 1940; Macrolecithus Hasegawa et Ozaki, 1926 and Wallinia Pearse, 1920. Mehra (1962) upheld family Macroderoidae McM~ullen, 1937 and placed the genus Macroderoides Pearse, 1924 in that family. However, he has not commented anything about the other genera included in the subfamily Wallininae. Yeh and Eoteder (1958) synonimised Gauhatiana with Astiotrema Looss, 1900.
182 C.B. SRIyASTAVA AND R. K. GraosH The new genus Paramacrolecithus shows affinities to the genera Macrolecithus and Wallinia. With Macrolecithus it agrees in most respects but differs in the intertesticu!ar disposition of uterine coils, which extend behind the posterior testis; in the extension of the excretory vesicle upto the ovarian level; extension and contiguous nature of vitelline follicles in the post-testicular area; shape and size of the cirrus sac; and submedian genital pore. In the disposition of uterine coils the new genus Paramacrolecithus agrees with Wallinia but differs from it in the disposition of vitelline follicles; shape and size of cirrus sac; position of genital pore and the nature and ratio of suckers. The members of the genus Wallinia are parasitic in marine fishes, whereas l'aramacrolecithus is parasitic in freshwater fishes. It differs from the rest of the genera of the subfamily Wallininae in the extension of vitellaria; smooth cuticle; presence of receptaculum seminis and nature and size of the excretory bladder. Generic diagnosis.ballocreadiidae, Wallininae: Body elongate to elliptical; cuticle smooth. Oral sucker round, terminal or subterminal. Prepharynx present or not. Pharynx well developed. Oesophagus moderately developed. Caeca long, terminating at or near posterior extremity. Acetabulum, round, in anterior third of body. Testes entire, round, obliquely tandem, intercaecal, in posterior half of body. Cirrus sac long, curved, may extend beyond the acctabulum; contains vesicula seminalis prostatic complex and muscular cirrus. Genital pore submedian, postbifurcal, in the acctabular zone. Ovary round, median, prc-equatorial, postacetabular. Receptaculum semirds and Laurer's canal present. Vitellaria in lateral fields extending from pharyngeal level to posterior extremity; contiguous in posttesticular zone. Uterus descending to posterior extremity, intercaccal; uterine coils pass through intertesticular fields. Eggs numerous, yellow, cupshaped. Excretory vesicle elongate saccular, reaching upto posterior level of ovary. Excretory pore terminal on excretory papilla. Parasitic in freshwater fishes. Type species.wt~aramacrolecithus rasborai n.g., n.sp. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are thankful to the Director, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, for facilities. Thanks are also due to Dr. B. S. Chauhan for his encouragement and kindly going through the manuscript.
On Pararnacrolecithus from a Cyprinid Fish, R. rasbora 183 Dwes, B. Hasegawa, T. et Ozaki, Y. Mehra, H. R. Pearse, A. S. Poche, F. Yamaguti, S. Yeh, L. S. and Fotedar, D. N. REFERENCES.. The Trematoda, Cambridge University Press, 1946... "A new trematode parasitic in Misgurnus anguiilieaudatus," Dobutu. Gaku. ZassL (In Japanese), 1926, 38, 225-28. - "Revision of Allocreadiodea Nicoll, 1934. Part I. Families Lepocreadiidae Nicoll, t934, Deropristiidae N. Faro., Homalometridao N. Faro., and Maseniidae Gupta, 1953," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sei. India, 1962, 32~B (1), 1-22.... "The fishes of Lake Valencia, Venezuela," Univ. Wise. Stud. in ScL, 1920, No. 1, 51... "Das system der Platodaria," Arch. Naturg., 1926, 91 A (2,-3), 458.... "Studies on the helminth fauna of Japan. Part 2. Trematodes of fishes, 1," Japanese J. Zool., 1934, 5 (3), 333-34. _ Systema Helminthum. Vol. I: Digenetic Trematodes of Vertebrates, Interscience Publishers, Inc. N.Y., 1958, pp. 1575. "A review of the genus Astiotrema in the family Plagiorehiidae. J. Helm., 1958)32, 17-32. ABBREVIATIONS A:acetabulum; C: cirrus; E: oesophagas; Eg: egg; Ep: excretory pore7 Ev: excretory vesicle; Gc:genital canal; I: intestine; Lc: Lanrer's canal; Os: oral sucker; O: ovary; Ph: pharynx; Pp: prepharynx; Rs: receptaculum sominis; Sg: shell gland; T~ T~: testes; Vr: vitelline reservoir; Vt: vitelline follicles.