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Acanthocephalans from Australian elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes) with a description of a new species in the genus Gorgorhynchus Chandler, 1934 (Rhadinorhynchidae)

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Abstract

Gorgorhynchus occultus n. sp. is described from Sutorectus tentaculatus (Peters) (Orectolobidae) collected off Bunbury, Western Australia in 1986. The new species differs from all other species of Gorgorhynchus Chandler, 1934 by having a suite of characters including a proboscis hook formula of 18–20 rows of 8–9 hooks, a well-developed neck, irregular circles of small spines in a single anterior field, the male reproductive system limited to the posterior quarter of the trunk and three cement glands. In a survey of 284 sharks collected between 2015 and 2018 from 10 localities in Australian waters, 11 individuals were infected with acanthocephalan cystacanths. One individual of Sphyrna mokarran (Rupell) (Sphyrnidae) was infected with Corynosoma cetaceum Johnston & Best, 1931. Serrasentis sagittifer (Linton, 1889) (Rhadinorhynchidae) was found in five individuals of S. mokarran, four individuals of Syphyrna lewini (Griffith & Smith) and one individual of Carcharhinus coatesi (Whitley) (Carcharhinidae). These infections may be accidental because it has been suggested that acanthocephalans cannot tolerate the high levels of urea used by marine and esturine elasmobranchs for osmoregulation. The two most common host species examined, S. mokarran and S. lewini had the highest intensities and prevalences of infection with S. sagittifer. Although more individuals of S. lewini were examined, S. mokarran had the higher prevalence of infection.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the various commercial fishers in Queensland and the Northern Territory as well as the NSW Department of Primary Industries for the collection of shark specimens. Additionally, the authors are indebted to Matt Broadhurst and Sean Blake (New South Wales DPI), Cassie Rigby, Brooke D’Alberto and the many student helpers (James Cook University), and Grant Johnson (NT Department of Primary Industries and Resources) for their assistance in the processing of the shark specimens, and to Shane Penny (NT DPIR) for production of the map. Funding for the various projects that supplied the sharks presented in this paper came from the NT DPIR and the National Environmental Science Programme Marine Biodiversity Hub. Librarians from Central Queensland University provided document delivery services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitology Section, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000, SA, Australia

    Lesley R. Smales & Leslie A. Chisholm

  2. Fisheries Research, Department of Primary Industries and Resources, Northern Territory Government, Berrimah, NT, 0828, Australia

    Diane P. Barton

  3. School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2678, Australia

    Diane P. Barton

  4. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Leslie A. Chisholm

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  1. Lesley R. Smales
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  3. Leslie A. Chisholm
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Correspondence to Lesley R. Smales.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All applicable institutional national and international guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. NT sharks: Northern Territory Fisheries Special Permit S17/2531; CDU Animal Ethics A13014; Qld sharks: Queensland General Fisheries Permit 187250; JCU Animal Ethics A2310; NSW sharks: approval to deploy the gill-nets was granted under section 158 of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, from the application of sections 18, 18A, 20, 20A, 23 and 24A of Part 3 and Parts 7 to 9 of Chapter 4 of the Act, by the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Energy.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection Acanthocephala.

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Smales, L.R., Barton, D.P. & Chisholm, L.A. Acanthocephalans from Australian elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes) with a description of a new species in the genus Gorgorhynchus Chandler, 1934 (Rhadinorhynchidae). Syst Parasitol 96, 565–573 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-019-09871-x

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