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Heliconema longissimum (Ortlepp, 1923) (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) from Pisodonophis boro (Teleostei: Ophichthidae) in Thailand, with remarks on the taxonomy of the Proleptinae Schulz, 1927

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Abstract

Physalopterid nematodes identified as Heliconema longissimum (Ortlepp, 1923) were collected from the stomach of rice-paddy eels Pisodonophis boro (Hamilton) (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from two brackish-water localities (mangroves) in Thailand: one in Phan-Nga Province, southwestern Thailand, northeast of Phuket Island, and one in Ranong Province, near the border with Myanmar. Study of the morphology of this hitherto insufficiently known nematode species, including its first SEM examination, enabled a detailed redescription of H. longissimum. Present taxonomic problems in the subfamily Proleptinae Schulz, 1927 are discussed, where a new delimitation of Proleptus Dujardin, 1845, Heliconema Travassos, 1919 and Paraleptus Wu, 1927 is proposed based on the cephalic dentation. H. minnanensis [sic] Damin & Heqing, 2001 is transferred to Paraleptus Wu, 1927 as P.␣minnanensis (Damin & Heqing, 2001) n. comb. and Paraleptus chiloscyllii Yin & Zhang, 1983 transferred by Damin & Heqing (2001) to Heliconema, is retained in Paraleptus. H. ahiri Karve, 1941 is considered a junior synonym of H. longissimum (Ortlepp, 1923). The present finding of H. longissimum in Pisodonophis boro represents the first host record and the first record of this nematode from Thailand.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the staff of the Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, to Dr Somboon Laoprasert, Chief of the Ranong Coastal Aquaculture Station, Ratchakrut, Muang and to Dr Supranee Chinabut, Director of the Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, for various forms of support, such as transport and/or accommodation. We also thank the staff of the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy at the Institute of Parasitology, ASCR, České Budějovice, for their technical assistance and Mrs Irena Husáková of the Department of Helminthology of the same Institute for her help with the preparation of the illustrations. The authors are very grateful to Dr David I. Gibson, Natural History Museum, London for revising the English and his help with the literature. This study was supported by grant no. 524/06/0170 from the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, Research Centre “Ichthyoparasitology” (LC522) and a research project of the Institute of Parasitology, ASCR (no. Z60220518).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Parasitology, Biological Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České, Budějovice, Czech Republic

    František Moravec

  2. Abteilung Ökologie und Parasitologie, Zoologisches Institut der Universität Karlsruhe (TH), Kaiserstrasse 12, 76128, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Horst Taraschewski

  3. Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road Ratchadewee, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

    Malinee Thairungroj Anantaphruti & Wanna Maipanich

  4. Department of Fisheries, Aquatic Animal Health Research Institute, Paholyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Thitiporn Laoprasert

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  1. František Moravec
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  2. Horst Taraschewski
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  3. Malinee Thairungroj Anantaphruti
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  5. Thitiporn Laoprasert
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Correspondence to František Moravec.

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Moravec, F., Taraschewski, H., Anantaphruti, M.T. et al. Heliconema longissimum (Ortlepp, 1923) (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) from Pisodonophis boro (Teleostei: Ophichthidae) in Thailand, with remarks on the taxonomy of the Proleptinae Schulz, 1927. Syst Parasitol 66, 73–80 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-006-9066-2

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