Systematic status of Tetraonchus loftusi n. sp. (Monogenoidea: Tetraonchidae) and comparative studies of T. monenteron (Wagener, 1857) Diesing, 1858, and T. variabilis Mizelle and Webb, 1953

Abstract

A new species of monogenean Tetraonchus loftusi, from the gills of the muskellunge, Esox masqinongy Mitchill, is described. Brief comparative descriptions and discussions of Tetraonchus monenteron (Wagener, 1857) Diesing, 1858 and T. variabilis Mizelle and Webb, 1953 are given, extending our knowledge of structure and distribution of these two species.The genus Tetraonchus is accepted as the solitary genus in the family Tetraonchidae Bychowsky, 1937; the subgenera T. (Tetraonchus) and T. (Salmonchus) of Strelkov 1963 are rejected, in agreement with Ergens.