A new species of Neohaematotrephus (Digenea: Echinostomiformes: Cyclocoelidae) in the spotted-sandpiper Actitis macularia (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae) from Venezuela.

Abstract

Fischthal and Nasir (1974) reported Neohaematotrephus brasilianum (as Cyclocoelum brasilianum) in the spotted-sandpiper Actitis macularia from Venezuela. Three voucher specimens from that report, deposited in the United States National Parasite Collection, however, differ from N. brasilianum by having the cirrus sac on the sinistral side of the body, which resembles N. facioi, N. arayae, and N. gendrei. The new species is similar to N. brasilianum by having vitelline follicles extending well anterior to the intestinal bifurcation and by having a short and laterally displaced cirrus sac whose posterior end does not reach the intestinal bifurcation, whereas all other members of Neohaematotrephus have a cirrus sac that is medially oriented. Neohaematotrephus gendrei and N. facioi have cirrus sacs that extend to the level of the intestinal bifurcation, and N. arayae has a cirrus sac that extends well posterior to the posterior margin of the ceca. By having the ovary on the sinistral side of the body, the new species is similar to N. brasilianum, N. gendrei, and N. arayae but differs from N. facioi, in which the ovary is dextral.