Genovia

Genovia n. g.

(Fig. 5)

Etymology: The genus is named in honor of the late professor Todor Genov for his significant contribution to the taxonomy of anoplocephaline cestodes, including the erection and taxonomic analysis of Leporidotaenia (Genov et al. 1990).

Diagnosis: Strobila short or minute; proglottides few. Tegument with trichoid covering. Suckers directed antero-laterally. Neck (unsegmented region) absent or very short. Proglottides craspedote, wider than long. Velum arched slightly posteriorly. Genitalia single. Genital pores unilateral, positioned middle of proglottis margin or posteriorly. Genital atrium strong, capable of forming genital papilla. Genital ducts cross osmoregulatory canals dorsally. Internal and external seminal vesicles present. Cirrus sac prominent, extending markedly beyond ventral longitudinal canal. Retractor muscle of cirrus sac present. Testes few, arranged in single transverse or compact group in antiporal part of proglottis, usually overlapping or extending slightly across ventral antiporal canal. Ovary of variable structure and position. Vagina extending across ventral longitudinal canal; enters genital atrium posterior to cirrus sac. Early uterus transverse tube in anterior part of proglottis; overlaps but does not extend across longitudinal canals; poral end terminates anterior to cirrus sac partly overlapping it. Fully developed (pregravid) uterus either with few, shallow, anterior and posterior sacculi (distinct transverse trunk absent) or with distinct deep sacculi (transverse trunk present). Female reproductive organs mature slightly earlier than male organs; female glands disappear simultaneously or slightly later than testes; testes are pushed back by expanding uterus. Pyriform apparatus present. Parasitic in leporids (Lagomorpha). Type species: G. wimerosa (Moniez, 1880) n. comb. [syns. Taenia wimerosa Moniez, 1880, Anoplocephala wimerosa (Moniez, 1880) Blanchard, 1891, Andrya wimerosa (Moniez, 1880) Railliet, 1893, Anoplocephaloides wimerosa (Moniez, 1880) Baer, 1923, Leporidotaenia wimerosa (Moniez, 1880) Genov, Murai, Georgiev & Harris, 1990]; holotype USNPC 1454 from the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linneaeus). Other species: G. floresbarroetae (Rausch, 1976) n. comb. [syns. Anoplocephaloides floresbarroetae Rausch, 1976, Leporidotaenia floresbarroetae (Rausch, 1976) Genov, Murai, Georgiev & Harris, 1990] and G. p s e u d o w i m e ro s a (Tenora, Murai, Valero & Cutillas, 1981) n. comb. [syns. Anoplocephaloides pseudowimerosa Tenora, Murai, Valero & Cutillas, 1982, Leporidotaenia pseudowimerosa (Tenora, Murai, Valero & Cutillas, 1982) Genov, Murai, Georgiev & Harris, 1990].

FIGURE. 5. Genovia wimerosa from Lepus timidus. A. Strobila (scale-bar 0.50 mm). B. Mature proglottis (scale-bar 0.10 mm). C, Mature proglottis (scale-bar 0.20 mm) (redrawn from Genov et al. 1990). D, E. Development of uterus (scale-bars 0.30 mm).

Remarks. The morphological differences between Genovia spp. and L. romerolagi have been given above. From other species with an anterior early uterus that does not extend across the ventral longitudinal canals, Genovia differs in its significantly smaller body (Sciurotaenia, Flabelloskrjabinia), unilateral genital pores (Sciurotaenia wigginsi), fewer testes (Sciurotaenia, Flabelloskrjabinia), transverse extent of the testes (Flabelloskrjabinia) and presence of a retractor muscle (Sciurotaenia) (Table 2; see also Genov et al. 1990).

Genovia spp. inhabit the small intestine (G. w i m e ro s a, G. p s e u d o w i m e ro s a) or bile duct (G. floresbarroetae) of their hosts (Genov et al. 1990).