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Cribb TH, Martin SB, Cutmore SC. Neohexangitrema spp. (Trematoda: Microscaphidiidae) in Indo-West Pacific Acanthuridae: Richness, distribution, diet and contemporary naming issues. Parasitol Int 2025; 108:103033. [PMID: 40058522 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2025.103033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2024] [Revised: 01/09/2025] [Accepted: 01/14/2025] [Indexed: 03/17/2025]
Abstract
Examination of hundreds of individuals of 32 species of Acanthuridae from the Indo-West Pacific resulted in the collection of trematodes consistent with the genus Neohexangitrema Machida, 1984 from the northern and southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR, Queensland, Australia), Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia), Okinawa (Japan), New Caledonia, and Mo'orea and Rangiroa in French Polynesia. Specimens of Neohexangitrema spp. were primarily collected from two species of Zebrasoma, Z. scopas (Cuvier) and Z. velifer (Bloch), and less frequently from three species of Acanthurus. Specimens from Z. scopas and A. nigricans (Linnaeus) from French Polynesia are morphologically and genetically distinct and here described as N. blairi n. sp. This species appears to represent an unusual case of parasite endemism in French Polynesia. Two other morphotypes occurred, often together, in fishes from at least one of the other localities but not in French Polynesia. The first of these, from Ningaloo Reef, Okinawa, GBR and New Caledonia, is clearly morphologically and genetically distinct and is described as N. phytophagum n. sp. This species frequently has large amounts of undigested algae in the digestive tract and appears to be a herbivore in a herbivore. The second widespread morphotype comprised specimens from Z. scopas and Z. velifer consistent with N. zebrasomatis Machida, 1984 as originally described from Z. velifer from off southern Japan. Molecular analyses (cox1 mtDNA and ITS2 and 28S rDNA) consistently suggest that these new specimens represent two morphologically cryptic species, both infecting Z. scopas and Z. velifer, one only at Ningaloo Reef and the other from the GBR. Neither of these species can presently be positively identified as N. zebrasomatis given the lack of molecular data from the type-locality. We here propose new names for both taxa, N. obscurum n. sp. for the species from the GBR and New Caledonia and N. crypticum n. sp. for the species from Ningaloo Reef. This proposal is made with the explicit understanding that one of the two may well (but will not necessarily) prove a synonym of N. zebrasomatis. This approach draws attention to the developing issue of the management of the names of combinations of cryptic trematode species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Cribb
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia; The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Storm B Martin
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia
| | - Scott C Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia; The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Cribb TH, Barton DP, Blair D, Bott NJ, Bray RA, Corner RD, Cutmore SC, De Silva MLI, Duong B, Faltýnková A, Gonchar A, Hechinger RF, Herrmann KK, Huston DC, Johnson PTJ, Kremnev G, Kuchta R, Louvard C, Luus-Powell WJ, Martin SB, Miller TL, Pérez-Ponce de León G, Smit NJ, Tkach VV, Truter M, Waki T, Vermaak A, Wee NQX, Yong RQY, Achatz TJ. Challenges in the recognition of trematode species: Consideration of hypotheses in an inexact science. J Helminthol 2025; 99:e54. [PMID: 40260497 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x25000367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2025]
Abstract
The description and delineation of trematode species is a major ongoing task. Across the field there has been, and currently still is, great variation in the standard of this work and in the sophistication of the proposal of taxonomic hypotheses. Although most species are relatively unambiguously distinct from their congeners, many are either morphologically very similar, including the major and rapidly growing component of cryptic species, or are highly variable morphologically despite little to no molecular variation for standard DNA markers. Here we review challenges in species delineation in the context provided to us by the historical literature, and the use of morphological, geographical, host, and molecular data. We observe that there are potential challenges associated with all these information sources. As a result, we encourage careful proposal of taxonomic hypotheses with consideration for underlying species concepts and frank acknowledgement of weaknesses or conflict in the data. It seems clear that there is no single source of data that provides a wholly reliable answer to our taxonomic challenges but that nuanced consideration of information from multiple sources (the 'integrated approach') provides the best possibility of developing hypotheses that will stand the test of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- T H Cribb
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
| | - D P Barton
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales2658, Australia
| | - D Blair
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Australia
| | - N J Bott
- School of Science, RMIT University, PO Box 71, BundooraVIC 3083
| | - R A Bray
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, LondonSW7 5BD, UK
| | - R D Corner
- Department of Primary Industries, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Queensland4102, Australia
| | - S C Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
| | - M L I De Silva
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia
| | - B Duong
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, 4072Australia
| | - A Faltýnková
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelská 3, Brno, 613 00, Czech Republic
| | - A Gonchar
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, St Petersburg University, Universitetskaya emb. 7-9, Saint Petersburg199034, Russia
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, Saint Petersburg199034, Russia
| | - R F Hechinger
- Scripps Insitution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - K K Herrmann
- Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas, USA
| | - D C Huston
- Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia
| | - P T J Johnson
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO80309, USA
| | - G Kremnev
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya emb. 1, Saint Petersburg199034, Russia
| | - R Kuchta
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - C Louvard
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University - Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St, Potchefstroom 2531, North West, South Africa
| | - W J Luus-Powell
- DSI-NRF SARChI Chair (Ecosystem Health), Department of Biodiversity, University of Limpopo, 0727, South Africa
| | - S B Martin
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, 6150, Western Australia, Australia
| | - T L Miller
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
| | - G Pérez-Ponce de León
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97357, Mexico
| | - N J Smit
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University - Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St, Potchefstroom 2531, North West, South Africa
| | - V V Tkach
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
| | - M Truter
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University - Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St, Potchefstroom 2531, North West, South Africa
| | - T Waki
- Faculty of Science, Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba274-8510, Japan
| | - A Vermaak
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University - Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St, Potchefstroom 2531, North West, South Africa
| | - N Q-X Wee
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
| | - R Q-Y Yong
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, North-West University - Potchefstroom campus, 11 Hoffman St, Potchefstroom 2531, North West, South Africa
| | - T J Achatz
- Department of Natural Sciences, Middle Georgia State University, Macon, Georgia, USA
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Huston DC, Cutmore SC, Cribb TH. Digenean life cycle truncation has enabled the opportunistic exploitation of herbivorous fishes. J Helminthol 2025; 99:e28. [PMID: 39957133 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x25000069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2025]
Abstract
New, well-known and predicted life cycles for trematodes of the Haploporoidea (Haploporidae and Emprostiotrematidae) and three families of the Lepocreadioidea (Enenteridae, Gorgocephalidae, Gyliauchenidae) involve encystment of the metacercaria in the open (usually on vegetation) followed by ingestion by a range of herbivorous or detritivorous fishes. These life cycles appear among relatively highly derived plagiorchiidan trematodes in which three-host life cycles incorporating an animal second intermediate host are dominant. We hypothesise that the two-host life cycles in the Haploporoidea and Lepocreadioidea arose by secondary truncation of a three-host cycle; the second intermediate host was lost in favour of encystment in the open. Modification of a three-host life cycle effective for the infection of carnivores is consistent with the understanding that fishes arose as carnivores and that multiple lineages have secondarily become detritivores and herbivores. Four of the five trematode families involved infect fishes relating to multiple orders, suggesting a complex history of host-switching. In contrast, the Gorgocephalidae, the smallest of the families, has been found only in a single family, Kyphosidae. The timing of the evolutionary events leading to this putative life cycle truncation is yet to be deduced, but the rich developing understanding of the history of the fishes creates a strong template for future analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Huston
- Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia
| | - S C Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
| | - T H Cribb
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland4101, Australia
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
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Huston DC, Cutmore SC, Cribb TH, Sasal P, Yong RQY. Taxonomy and systematics of Emprostiotrema Cianferoni and Ceccolini, 2021 (Digenea: Emprostiotrematidae), parasites of rabbitfish (Siganidae) from the Indo-West Pacific marine region. Parasitology 2024; 151:1336-1350. [PMID: 39563197 PMCID: PMC11894025 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024001252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2024] [Revised: 09/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/25/2024] [Indexed: 11/21/2024]
Abstract
Emprostiotrema contains just 3 species: E. fusum, E. kuntzi and E. sigani. As adults, all 3 species infect rabbitfishes (Siganidae: Siganus). New collections from 11 species of Siganus from northern Australia, Indonesia, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Palau and Japan enabled an exploration of species composition within this genus. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate a deep distinction between 2 major clades; clade 1 comprises most of the sequences of specimens from Australia as well as all of those from Japan, Palau and New Caledonia and clade 2 comprises all sequences of specimens from French Polynesia, 2 sequences from Australia and the single sequence from Bali. In all analyses, both major clades have genetic structuring leading to distinct geographic lineages. Morphologically, specimens relating to clades 1 and 2 differ but overlap in body shape, oral sucker and egg size. Principle component analysis shows a general (but not complete) separation between specimens relating to the 2 clades. We interpret the 2 clades as representing 2 species: clade 1 is identified as E. fusum and is reported in this study from 10 species of siganids from Australia, Japan, Palau and New Caledonia; clade 2 is described as E. gotozakiorum n. sp., for all specimens from French Polynesia and rare specimens from Australia and Indonesia. We recognize E. sigani as a junior synonym of E. fusum. Although species of Emprostiotrema occur widely in the tropical Indo-Pacific, they have not been detected from Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia), the southern Great Barrier Reef or Moreton Bay (southern Queensland).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C. Huston
- Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Scott C. Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas H. Cribb
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Pierre Sasal
- CRIOBE, USR3278-EPHE/CNRS/UPVD/PSL, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
- Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement (CRIOBE) BP1013, Papetoai, Moorea Polynésie Française
| | - Russell Q.-Y. Yong
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Cribb TH, Cutmore SC, Wee NQX, Browne JG, Morales PD, Pitt KA. Lepocreadiidae (Trematoda) associated with gelatinous zooplankton (Cnidaria and Ctenophora) and fishes in Australian and Japanese waters. Parasitol Int 2024; 101:102890. [PMID: 38522781 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
We examined gelatinous zooplankton from off eastern Australia for lepocreadiid trematode metacercariae. From 221 specimens of 17 species of cnidarian medusae and 218 specimens of four species of ctenophores, infections were found in seven cnidarian and two ctenophore species. Metacercariae were distinguished using cox1 mtDNA, ITS2 rDNA and morphology. We identified three species of Prodistomum Linton, 1910 [P. keyam Bray & Cribb, 1996, P. orientale (Layman, 1930), and Prodistomum Type 3], two species of Opechona Looss, 1907 [O. kahawai Bray & Cribb, 2003 and O. cf. olssoni], and Cephalolepidapedon saba Yamaguti, 1970. Two species were found in cnidarians and ctenophores, three only in cnidarians, and one only in a ctenophore. Three Australian fishes were identified as definitive hosts; four species were collected from Scomber australasicus and one each from Arripis trutta and Monodactylus argenteus. Transmission of trematodes to these fishes by ingestion of gelatinous zooplankton is plausible given their mid-water feeding habits, although such predation is rarely reported. Combined morphological and molecular analyses of adult trematodes identified two cox1 types for C. saba, three cox1 types and species of Opechona, and six cox1 types and five species of Prodistomum of which only two are identified to species. All three genera are widely distributed geographically and have unresolved taxonomic issues. Levels of distinction between the recognised species varied dramatically for morphology, the three molecular markers, and host distribution. Phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA data extends previous findings that species of Opechona and Prodistomum do not form monophyletic clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Cribb
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia.
| | - Scott C Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Nicholas Q-X Wee
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Joanna G Browne
- School of Environment and Science and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia; Museums Victoria, GPO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | | | - Kylie A Pitt
- School of Environment and Science and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
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Pérez-Ponce de León G, Solórzano-García B, Huston DC, Mendoza-Garfias B, Cabañas-Granillo J, Cutmore SC, Cribb TH. Molecular species delimitation of marine trematodes over wide geographical ranges: Schikhobalotrema spp. (Digenea: Haplosplanchnidae) in needlefishes (Belonidae) from the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Parasitology 2024; 151:168-180. [PMID: 38037706 PMCID: PMC10941045 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023001245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Geographical distribution plays a major role in our understanding of marine biodiversity. Some marine fish trematodes have been shown to have highly restricted geographical distributions, while some are known to occur over very wide ranges; however, very few of these wide distributions have been demonstrated genetically. Here, we analyse species of the genus Schikhobalotrema (Haplosplanchnidae) parasitizing beloniforms from the tropical west Pacific, the eastern Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We test the boundaries of these trematodes by integrating molecular and morphological data, host association, habitat of the hosts and geographical distribution, following a recently proposed and standardized delineation method for the recognition of marine trematode species. Based on the new collections, Schikhobalotrema huffmani is here synonymized with the type-species of the genus, Schikhobalotrema acutum; Sch. acutum is now considered to be widely distributed, from the GoM to the western Pacific. Additionally, we describe a new species, Schikhobalotrema minutum n. sp., from Strongylura notata and Strongylura marina (Belonidae) from La Carbonera coastal lagoon, northern Yucatán, GoM. We briefly discuss the role of host association and historical biogeography of the hosts as drivers of species diversification of Schikhobalotrema infecting beloniforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Pérez-Ponce de León
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tablaje Catastral No. 6998, Carretera Mérida-Tetiz Km. 4.5, Municipio de Ucú, 97357 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Brenda Solórzano-García
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tablaje Catastral No. 6998, Carretera Mérida-Tetiz Km. 4.5, Municipio de Ucú, 97357 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Daniel C. Huston
- Australian National Insect Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Berenit Mendoza-Garfias
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ap. Postal 70-153. C.P., 045 10 Mexico, DF, Mexico
| | - Jhonatan Cabañas-Granillo
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ap. Postal 70-153. C.P., 045 10 Mexico, DF, Mexico
| | - Scott C. Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
| | - Thomas H. Cribb
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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Cutmore SC, Corner RD, Cribb TH. Morphological constraint obscures richness: a mitochondrial exploration of cryptic richness in Transversotrema (Trematoda: Transversotrematidae). Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:595-635. [PMID: 37488048 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Species of Transversotrema Witenberg, 1944 (Transversotrematidae) occupy a unique ecological niche for the Trematoda, living externally under the scales of their teleost hosts. Previous studies of the genus have been impeded partly by limited variation in ribosomal DNA sequence data between closely related species and partly by a lack of morphometrically informative characters. Here, we assess richness of the tropical Indo-west Pacific species through parallel phylogenetic and morphometric analyses, generating cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial sequence data and morphometric data for hologenophore specimens from Australia, French Polynesia, Japan and Palau. These analyses demonstrate that molecular data provide the only reliable basis for species identification; host distribution, and to a lesser extent morphology, are useful for identifying just a few species of Transversotrema. We infer that a combination of morphological simplicity and infection site constraint has led to the group displaying exceptionally low morphological diversification. Phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial data broadly support previous systematic interpretations based on ribosomal data, but also demonstrate the presence of several morphologically and ecologically cryptic species. Ten new species are described, eight from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Transversotrema chrysallis n. sp., Transversotrema daphnidis n. sp., Transversotrema enceladi n. sp., Transversotrema hyperionis n. sp., Transversotrema iapeti n. sp., Transversotrema rheae n. sp., Transversotrema tethyos n. sp., and Transversotrema titanis n. sp.) and two from off Japan (Transversotrema methones n. sp. and Transversotrema panos n. sp.). There are now 26 Transversotrema species known from Australian marine fishes, making it the richest trematode genus for the fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Cutmore
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia.
| | - Richard D Corner
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas H Cribb
- The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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