Abstract:
A new species of trematode of anaporrhutine gorgoderid, from the gill chambers of the Munda
round ray Urotrygon munda in Costa Rica is described, based on an integrative taxonomic
approach that includes the use of light and scanning electron microscopy, ITS2 and 28S rDNA
sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Anaporrhutum mundae sp. nov. can be distinguished
from congeneric species by a combination of morphological traits and particularly by having the
genital pore opening at the level of the intestinal bifurcation. The new species also can be
distinguished from all other species of Anaporrhutum, except A. euzeti Curran, Blend & Overstreet, 2003, by having fewer testicular follicles per testis. Anaporrhutum mundae sp. nov. also
differs from A. euzeti in its forebody shape and by having different morphology and location of
the vitellaria. The study of the tegumental surface of A. mundaesp. nov., as revealed by scanning
electron microscopy, allowed detection of new morphological characters for a member of
Anaporrhutinae that may be of taxonomic value. These are: a stylet cavity dorsal to the oral
sucker with a large penetration gland opening on each side of the cavity and small penetration
gland openings located ventral to the stylet cavity, arranged in a circle around the mouth. This
represents the first record of an Anaporrhutum species from Costa Rica. Further, A. mundae
sp. nov. represents the first parasite described or reported in this host.
