New species of Synodontella (Monogenea, Ancyrocephalidae) gill parasites of two Synodontis spp. (Pisces, Mochokidae) from the Boumba River (Congo Basin, East Cameroon)

Abstract

Three new species of Synodontella Dossou & Euzet, 1993 are described from two species of Synodontis (Mochokidae) collected from the middle course of the Boumba River (East Cameroon): Synodontella angustupenis n. sp. from Synodontis nummifer, Synodontella longipenis n. sp. and Synodontella simplex n. sp. from Synodontis decorus. These new species are different from the other Synodontella species already described due to their horseshoe-shaped dorsal transverse bars. Synodontella angustupenis differs from S. longipenis and S. simplex by the morphology of its penis, a thin tube, and its accessory piece, bifid at its extremity. Synodontella longipenis differs from the other two species by the morphology and the size of its male copulatory organ, which is very long. Synodontella simplex differs from S. angustupenis and S. longipenis by the shape of its penis, which is simple, and of its accessory piece, with a developed heel. The difference between the dorsal transverse bars of Synodontella species from the Sanaga River in Cameroon (and other localities in Africa), slightly curved, and those from the Boumba River, horseshoe-shaped, makes it possible to separate Synodontella species into two different subgroups. This difference can be explained by a long isolation period of the hosts, living in different river basins, followed by the divergence of the parasite populations (vicariant speciation).