Vexillata vexillata Hall

Vexillata vexillata (Hall)

(= Heligmosomum vexillatum Hall)

Site of infection: Small intestine

Host: Heteromys gaumeri

Locality: Xkalakdzonot

Prevalence and mean intensity (range): 100% (8/8) and 358.4 (27–1689)

Specimens deposited: MLP-He 7430 and CNHE 10705

Comments: The characteristics observed in the specimens examined from Yucatán were in accordance with the original description given by Hall (1916) of parasites from Thomomys talpoides fossor (Allen) and the redescriptions by Sanabria Espinosa et al. (1996) and Durette-Desset (1978) from other host species, i.e. synlophe with well-developed careen; 12 cuticular ridges in the synlophe at midbody; subsymmetrical bursa with a pattern of type 2-2-1; dorsal ray with two small and asymmetric accessory branches starting about its mid-length; rays 8 arising from base of dorsal ray and similar in length to it; bifid extremities of dorsal ray; simple genital cone; and simple spicules 301–406 long.

Among the 14 species of Vexillata described to date, 9 have been described from Heteromyidae, 4 from Geomyidae, and 1 from Leporidae (Falcón-Ordaz & García-Prieto 2005; Falcón-Ordaz et al. 2006; Digiani et al. 2007). In México, V. vexillata has been reported from H. pictus in Chiapas (Caballero y Caballero 1958), H. irroratus and P. difficilis in Hidalgo (Sanabria Espinosa et al. 1996), and H. irroratus in Morelos (Ortíz 1999). This is the first record of V. vexillata from H. gaumeri and for Yucatán.