A NEW PSEUDAPATEMON (DIGENEA: DIPLOSTOMOIDEA) FROM THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK AND REDESCRIPTION OF PSEUDAPATEMON ALDOUSI.

Abstract

Pseudapatemonis a genus of diplostomoidean digeneans in which adults parasitize the intestines of scolopacid shorebirds. In this study, we describe a new species of Pseudapatemon collected from American woodcock (Scolopax minor) in Wisconsin and Nebraska. The new Pseudapatemon species is characterized by the distribution of vitellarium, which extends into the prosoma and holdfast organ. This is the fifth species of this genus and the third described from North America. We also provide a supplemental description of Pseudapatemon aldousi based on specimens from S. minor in Wisconsin. Our description provides an improved understanding of the holdfast organ and other major structures of P. aldousi, as our specimens were not as strongly curled as those described in previous studies.