History of Discovery of Parasitic Crustacea

A new species of Neoergasilus Yin 1956 (Copepoda: Cyclopoida: Ergasilidae) parasitic on the catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) (Siluriformes: Clariidae) from South Africa

Twenty-one specimens of an ergasilid were collected from the gills of the sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell), from the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The first leg and antennae morphology conformed to the genus Neoergasilus Yin, 1956. While the invasive Neoergasilus japonicus (Harada, 1930) is the only Neoergasilus species that has been reported from Africa, the combination of several characteristics, separates the Eastern Cape specimens from N. japonicus and the other eight Neoergasilus congeners. These include an inflated cephalothorax; the presence of an oval dorsal ornamentation anterior to the cephalosome; a spine on the posterodistal margin of the first antennal segment; a cone-like process at the proximal margin of the second antennal segment; a knob-like process on the inner distal margin of the first exopodal segment of leg 1 and two forked spines on the third exopodal segment; leg 4 bearing a 2-segmented exopod and 3-segmented endopod; a single-segmented fifth leg with a seta extending from the base of the pedigerous somite and three unequal setae on its free segment; and a median caudal rami seta with an array of spines. Supporting genetic data were generated using two partial ribosomal RNA genes, 18S and 28S, and one partial mitochondrial DNA gene, COI. The Eastern Cape species is here proposed as new to science and described as Neoergasilus africanus n. sp. (Ergasilidae: Cyclopoida). This is the first Neoergasilus species described from the sharptooth catfish and from the southern hemisphere. Additionally, a key to all the species of this genus is provided.

A new species of the fish louse genus Dipteropeltis Calman, 1912 (Crustacea: Branchiura) from Peru

Dipteropeltis is a poorly described genus of fish louse endemic to South America. In a small blackwater region within Loreto, Peru, 13 adult and juvenile specimens of an unidentified species of Dipteropeltis Calman, 1912, as well as one adult specimen of D. hirundo Calman, 1912, were observed and collected. Scanning electron and light micrographs were acquired to examine and measure key features of these specimens. Morphological differences from the two known species of Dipteropeltis, D. hirundo and D. campanaformis Neethling et al., 2014, indicate that the collected specimens represent a new species. Dipteropeltis longicaudatus sp. nov. is diagnosed by elongate abdominal lobes, a chevron-shaped carapace, and uniquely shaped maxillae. One specimen represents the longest branchiuran documented to date at 31.5 mm. Additionally, we provide the first sequence data for this genus using DNA barcoding, which corroborates our designation of a new species. Videos were also captured that document behaviors including host attachment, pulsating abdominal lobes, suction disc "walking", and swimming. Findings have implications for its teleost hosts, Triportheus albus Cope, 1872 and Brycon amazonicus Spix & Agassiz, 1829, the latter being a critical species for aquaculture and commercial fisheries in Amazonia.

Disseminated Armillifer armillatus Infestation: A Rare Cause of Acute Abdomen

We report a case of an 80-year-old symptomatic female with severe visceral Armillifer armillatus infestation who presented with complaints of progressively worsening colicky abdominal pain with associated constipation and mild abdominal distension. Imaging workup demonstrated unique radiological features of the parasite including multiple curvilinear opacities, measuring approximately 3 to 6 mm in length, scattered in the lung fields, abdomen, pelvis, and inguinal region. Histologic examination of inguinal biopsies revealed enlarged lymph nodes containing several parasitic pseudocysts. She was managed conservatively and received antihelmintics, with subsequent uneventful recovery. This case emphasizes the importance of meticulous differential diagnoses formulation. In the right clinical scenario, pentastomiasis should be considered in the differential diagnoses of patients with imaging evidence of multiple organ lesions, as a high index of suspicion is needed for the diagnosis of this entity and will help to avoid unnecessary invasive management.