Lungworms (Metastrongyloidea: Pseudaliidae) of harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena (L. 1758)

Abstract

Lungworms were collected from 60 harbor porpoises shot at sea during May to August of 1970 and 1971 in the Bay of Fundy. These have been compared with related species from other odontocetes in order to evaluate the literature on pseudaliids and provide a consistent treatment of the family. This study also gives data on the occurrence of lungworms in odontocetes from Canadian waters. Keys to genera and selected species of pseudaliids in cetaceans are included.The following are redescribed: Pseudalius inflexus (Rudolphi 1808), Stenurus minor (Kuhn 1829), Torynurus convolutus (Kuhn 1829), Halocercus invaginatus (Quekett 1841), and H. taurica Delyamure, in Skrjabin 1942 from harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, collected in eastern Canada; Stenurus globicephalae Baylis and Daubney 1925 from Globicephala melaena, G. macrorhyncha, and Grampus griseus (new host record); Stenurus arctomarinus Delyamure and Kleinenberg 1958 and Pharurus pallasii (van Beneden 1870) n. comb, from Delphinapteras leucas; Torynurus dalli (Yamaguti 1951) from Phocoenoides dalli; and Pharurus alatus (Leuck-art 1848) from Monodon monoceros. Pseudalius inflexus, H. taurica, and S. arctomarinus are reported for the first time from North American hosts; S. globicephalae, P. pallasii, P. alatus, and all the pseudaliids from Phocoena phocoena are reported from new host localities.Torynurus alatus is considered a synonym of Pharurus alatus. Stenurus arcticus (including previously proposed synonyms Strongylus arcticus, Pseudalius arcticus) is considered a synonym of Pharurus pallasii.Halocercus ponticus Delyamure 1946 is considered synonymous with H. invaginatus.