Measures, L.; Beverley-Burton, M.; Williams, A. (1990). Three new species of Monocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from the great barrier reef: Phylogenetic reconstruction, systematics and emended diagnoses. International Journal for Parasitology. 20(6): 755-767.
Three new species of Monocotyle (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) from the stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from the great barrier reef: Phylogenetic reconstruction, systematics and emended diagnoses
International Journal for Parasitology
20(6): 755-767
Publication
Three new species of Monocotyle were found on the gills of the coachwhip stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) collected at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (23°27'S, 151°55'E). Monocotyle helicophallus new species, Monocotyle multiparous new species and Monocotyle spiremae new species all have a single testis and are distinguished from other described Monocotyle species by size of body and hamulus and number of coils of the sclerotized male copulatory organ (21-22, three to four and 29-42, respectively). Monocotyle helicophallus new species is characterized by several muscular genital papillae, one of which is traversed by the ejaculatory duct; M. spiremae new species is distinguished by a sclerotized accessory structure associated with the distal end of the male copulatory organ, a vaginal sclerite and a conspicuous spherical, ejaculatory bulb; M. multiparous new species is distinguished by a large number of retained, thin-shelled eggs, many of which contain a fully developed oncomiracidium. A phylogenetic analysis of the 14 described species of Monocotyle utilizing 13 characters (11 binary and two multistate) produced the most parsimonious cladogram involving 18 steps with a consistency index of 0.78, two homoplasies and four unresolved polychotomies. Emended diagnoses of the Monocotylinae and Monocotyle are provided.