A new species of Cruzia (Ascaridida; Kathlanidae) parasitizing Salvator merianae (Squamata, Teiidae) from the Atlantic forest in Brazil

Abstract

Cruzia lauroi sp. nov. is described from Salvator merianae (Duméril & Bibron, 1839) (Squamata; Teiidae). The new species differs from all previously described species through several morphological characteristics: number of tooth like structures per row in the inner pharynx; and presence of unpaired papillae on the anterior border of the cloacal aperture. However, Cruzia lauroi sp. nov. is closest to C. tentaculata (Rudolphi, 1819), through having similar distribution of male caudal papillae, unpaired pre-cloacal papillae and females with an pre-equatorial vulva. Cruzia lauroi sp. nov. differs from C. tentaculata regarding smaller total body length of individuals, higher number of tooth like structures per row in the pharynx, greater size of diverticulum, smaller size of spicules and a more anterior vulva than in C. tentaculata; and the males do not have caudal alae. Cruzia mazza, C. travassosia, C. mexicana and C. testudines were considered to be species inquirendae, because their descriptions need more detailed taxonomic studies.

Population genetic structure and morphological diversity ofCruzia tentaculata(Nematoda: Ascaridida), a parasite of marsupials (Didelphinae), along the Atlantic Forest on the eastern coast of South America

“…Morphological analyses performed by SEM and light microscopy confirmed the identification of the studied specimens as C . tentaculata , agreeing with the taxonomic key (Vieira et al ., 2020 ) and articles discussing the species (Travassos, 1922 ; Adnet et al ., 2009 ). Most studies of morphological descriptions of the species do not examine the number of cuticular lamellae.…”

“…These findings corroborate Crites ( 1956 ), who suggested a range of 8–14 cuticular lamellae and should be considered in the identification key of the species according to Vieira et al . ( 2020 ).…”

“…The identification of species by morphology and morphometry was performed using articles describing species of the genus Cruzia and taxonomic keys according to Vieira et al . ( 2020 ). The morphometric characteristics analysed for males and females were the length and width of the oral capsule, length and width of the body, length and width of the oesophagus, length and width of the bulb, distance from the nerve ring and excretory pore with respect to the anterior extremity and length of the intestinal diverticulum.…”

“…The genus Cruzia Travassos, 1917 comprises 10 species that parasitize the caecum and large intestine mainly of mammals but also amphibians and reptiles (Sprehn, 1932 ; Ruiz, 1947 ; Wolfgang, 1951 ; Crites, 1956 ; Wahid, 1964 ; Costa, 1965 ; Ubelaker and Younus, 1965 ; Guerrero, 1971 ; Adnet et al ., 2009 ; Vieira et al ., 2020 ). Up to now, 3 species of Cruzia have been reported infecting marsupials in the Americas: Cruzia cameroni Wolfgang, 1951 infecting Didelphis marsupialis Linnaeus, 1758 in Trinidad, Cruzia americana Maplestone, 1930 infecting D. marsupialis and Didelphis virginiana in the USA and Cruzia tentaculata Travassos, 1917 infecting Caluromys philander (Linnaeus, 1758), Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1841, Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826, D. marsupialis , Marmosa murina (Linnaeus, 1758), Metachirus myosuros (Temminck, 1824), Metachirus nudicaudatus (Geoffroy, 1803), Monodelphis domestica , Wagner, 1842 and Philander opossum Linnaeus, 1758, with the larger geographic distribution, occurring in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, French Guiana and Mexico (Travassos, 1922 ; Ruiz, 1947 ; Wolfgang, 1951 ; Crites, 1956 ; Pinto and Gomes, 1980 ; Martínez, 1986 , 1987 ; Caneda-Guzman, 1997 ; Gomes et al ., 2003 ; Adnet et al ., 2009 ; Tantaleán et al ., 2010 ; Jiménez et al ., 2011 ; Mollericona and Nallar, 2014 ; Chero et al ., 2017 ; Zabott et al ., 2017 ; Li, 2019 ; Cirino et al ., 2020 ).…”