Description of two new species of Rhadinorhynchus (Acanthocephala, Rhadinorhynchidae) from marine fish in Halong Bay, Vietnam, with a key to species

Abstract

AbstractTwo rhadinorhynchid species of acanthocephalans, Rhadinorhynchus dorsoventrospinosus sp. nov. and Rhadinorhynchus laterospinosus sp. nov. are described from the redtail scad, Decapterus kurroides Bleeker, and the trigger fish Balistes sp., respectively. The hosts were collected off Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam in May, 2009. This brings the total number of species of Rhadinorhynchus Lühe, 1911 to 38. Specimens of the first species are characterized by having 11–12 proboscis hook rows with 30–31 hooks each, large dorsal and ventral spines in the posterior field of trunk spines, large eggs (100 × 20), and subterminal gonopore in both males and females. It is further characterized by many prominent fragmented nuclei in the body wall. The 1 female of the second species has 18 proboscis hook rows with 24 hooks each, smaller eggs (62 × 17), lateral trunk spines connecting those in the anterior and the posterior fields, and subterminal female gonopore. Notes on the genus Rhadinorhynchus, lists of the invalid and valid species, and a key to species are provided. Raorhynchus Tripathi, 1959 is proposed to be a junior synonym of Rhadinorhynchus pending a revision of the species of Raorhynchus.