A redescription of Arostrilepis horrida (Linstow, 1901) and descriptions of two new species from Palaearctic microtine rodents, Arostrilepis macrocirrosa sp. n. and A. tenuicirrosa sp. n. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae)

Abstract

the type species of the cestode genus Arostrilepis Mas-coma et tenora, 1997, Arostrilepis horrida (linstow, 1901), is redescribed on the basis of the syntype material from the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) deposited in the collection of the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. Arostrilepis horrida (sensu lato), reported from a wide range of rodents throughout the Holarctic region, is shown to be a species complex. the proposed host range and geographical distribution of A. horrida (sensu stricto) are limited to the data reported in the original description. the previously proposed synonymy of A. horrida is examined and the following species are excluded from the list of its synonyms: Hymenolepis procera Janicki, 1904, H. arvicolina cholodkowsky, 1913, H. sciurina cholodkowsky, 1913 and H. mathevossianae Akhumyan, 1946; these are considered species inquirendae. Specimens previously identified as A. horrida from voles from the Asian part of russia are revised and newly collected materials are worked out. two new species, A. macrocirrosa sp. n. and A. tenuicirrosa sp. n., are described. the main differentiating characters used to distinguish Arostrilepis spp. are the form and size of cirrus and its armature as well as the type of arrangement for the testes. the new species can also be distinguished from one another on the basis of sequences of the its2 rrNA gene. the generic diagnosis of Arostrilepis is emended. Hymenolepis neurotrichi rausch, 1962, which had been placed in Arostrilepis by Mas-coma and tenora (1997), does not correspond to the generic diagnosis and is considered a species incertae sedis.

A redescription of Arostrilepis beringiensis (Kontrimavichus et Smirnova, 1991) and descriptions of two new species from Palaearctic microtine rodents, Arostrilepis intermedia sp. n. and A. janickii sp. n. (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae)

“…comparative studies by rausch (1952), schiller (1952), Voge (1952), Murai and tenora (1973), Egorova and Nadtochii (1975) and others failed to recognize species limits based on structural characters (some reasons for this are outlined in Hoberg et al 2003). A re-examination of the type series revealed that data for host range and geographical distribution of A. horrida (sensu stricto) are limited to those reported in the original description (Makarikov et al 2011). consequently, there are still unresolved questions regarding this species (i.e., morphology of gravid proglottides and validity of the type host).…”

“…Previous studies have suggested that the type species of the genus Arostrilepis Mas-coma et tenora, 1997, A. horrida (linstow, 1901), which has a presumed Holarctic distribution, represents a complex of cryptic species (Johri 1956, Mas-coma et al 1980, Kontrimavichus and smirnova 1991, gulyaev and chechulin 1997, Mascoma and tenora 1997, Asakawa et al 2002, Hoberg et al 2003, cook et al 2005, Hwang et al 2007, Haukisalmi et al 2009, 2010, Makarikov et al 2011. But for most of the last century, A. horrida was considered to represent a single, widespread (geographically and with respect to microtine hosts), and hyper-variable species.…”

“…consequently, there are still unresolved questions regarding this species (i.e., morphology of gravid proglottides and validity of the type host). thus, there is an urgent need to locate other specimens of this species and to expand upon its original description and redescription (Makarikov et al 2011).…”

“…these were A. beringiensis (Kontrimavichus et smirnova, 1991) gulyaev et chechulin, 1997 from the lemming Lemmus sibiricus (Kerr) in chukotka (Kontrimavichus and smirnova 1991), A. microtis gulyaev et chechulin, 1997 from voles of the genera Microtus schrank and Arvicola lacépède from the Altai Mts. and Western siberia (gulyaev and chechulin 1997), A. macrocirrosa Makarikov, gulyaev et Kontrimavichus, 2011 andA. tenuicirrosa Makarikov, gulyaev et Kontrimavichus, 2011 from red-backed voles (Myodes Pallas) from the Asian part of russia (Makarikov et al 2011).…”

“…and Western siberia (gulyaev and chechulin 1997), A. macrocirrosa Makarikov, gulyaev et Kontrimavichus, 2011 andA. tenuicirrosa Makarikov, gulyaev et Kontrimavichus, 2011 from red-backed voles (Myodes Pallas) from the Asian part of russia (Makarikov et al 2011). Hoberg et al (2003) andcook et al (2005) across Beringia recognised 10 distinct genetic lineages of Arostrilepis among various genera of the Microtinae, which they considered to be distinct species.…”