Heteropriapulus bitomus n. sp.

urn:lSid:zOObank.Org:act:F173F072-AD66-41F1-86B5-5D9E1A7D2A9D (Fig. 5)

Type and only known host. Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii (HOlmberg) (SilurifOrmeS: LOricariidae).

Site of infection. GillS.

Type locality. Aguapeí RiVer, municipality Of CaStilhO (Paraná RiVer baSin), SãO PaulO State, Brazil (21°3'36.20"S, 51°45'38.58"W).

Type specimens. HOlOtype (CHIOC 38806); 9 paratypeS in CHIOC (38807–38812a, b; 38813; 38814); 7 paratypeS in CHIBB (276–282L).

Etymology. The name iS frOm Latin and referS tO the preSence Of tWO SclerOtized patcheS aSSOciated With the baSe Of Ventral anchOr (bi = tWO + tomus = patch, piece).

Description. BaSed On 23 SpecimenS mOunted in HOyer’S medium. BOdy 208–456 (336; n=20) lOng, greateSt Width 49–123 (78; n=20), uSually near mid-length. AcceSSOry granuleS eXtending frOm leVel Of gOnadS tO cephalic lObeS. Male cOpulatOry cOmpleX cOmpriSing nOn-articulated cirruS and acceSSOry piece. CirruS delicate, tOtal curVed length 38–51 (45; n=23), Straight in anteriOr pOrtiOn ShOWing 2 cOunterclOckWiSe Spiral ringS neXt tO rOunded baSe. AcceSSOry piece 38–46 (43; n=22) lOng, cOmpOSed Of Single unit, rObuSt, cOnSpicuOuS and StrOngly SclerOtized (Fig. 5 C). Vaginal canal ShOrt and SclerOtized, Shaped aS gOblet, 8–16 (13; n=19) lOng, 10–18 (14; n=19) curVed length. Egg 112 (n=1) lOng, 44 (n=1) Wide, Operculate, One ShOrt pOlar filament On adOpercular end. HaptOr 37–57 (48; n=20) lOng, 75–125 (94; n=20) Wide, SubtrapezOidal. Ventral anchOrS 25–31 (29; n=23) lOng, length tO nOtch 27–32 (30; n=23), flattened baSe 9–13 (11; n=23) Wide, elOngate Shaft, pOint 27–33 (31; n=23) lOng With recurVed tip, pOintS eXtending pOSterOVentrally frOm haptOr; anchOr filament dOuble and Well-deVelOped; 2 SclerOtized patcheS preSent at baSe Of each Ventral anchOr: One Small and anOther cOnSpicuOuS, rObuSt and rOunded Shape. DOrSal anchOrS 14–17 (15; n=22) lOng, length tO nOtch 12–15 (13; n=22), Superficial rOOt 5–6 (5; n=22) lOng, incOnSpicuOuS deep rOOt 1–2 (2; n=22) lOng, eVenly curVed ShOrt Shaft, Straight pOint 6–9 (8; n=22) lOng. Ventral bar bent, rOunded endS, 65–97 (81; n=21) lOng, 6–8 (7; n=22) Wide, 12–31 (21; n=22) high. DOrSal bar Small, bent, 22–28 (25; n=18) lOng, 3–4 (3; n=18) Wide, 4–6 (5; n=18) high. SeVen pairS Of Similar hOOkS, 11–12 (12; n=22) lOng, FH lOOp abOut ½ Of Shank length.

Remarks. ThiS SpecieS can be eaSily diStinguiShed frOm cOngenerS by the fOllOWing characteriSticS: tWO SclerOtized patcheS aSSOciated With the baSe Of Ventral anchOr, a SclerOtized, ShOrt, gOblet-Shaped Vagina, and a lOng, rObuSt, cOnSpicuOuS and StrOngly SclerOtized acceSSOry piece cOmpOSed Of a Single unit that remarkably differS frOm that Of H. simplex in Shape (cOmpare Fig. 3 C and 5C).