Taxonomy of freshwater lineages of Anindobothrium Marques, Brooks & Lasso, 2001 (Eucestoda: Phyllobothriidae) parasites of Neotropical freshwater stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)

Abstract

This project will contribute to the documentation of the diversity of the parasite fauna of potamotrigonids, specifically, the redescription of Anindobothrium lisae and description of possible new species for the genus. The redescription of this species is necessary because it was originally based on a few specimens from a single host - Potamotrygon orbygni collected in Rio Negro; this has compromised our knowledge of the extent of morphological variability in this lineage. Additionally, the original description of this species does not include information on histological data and tegumentary structures (i.e., microthriches) obtained via scanning electron microscopy. Further, the original description of A. lisae lacks some illustrations to document its general morphology. Recent collections indicate the presence of Anindobothrium in the Orinoco Basin and Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, suggesting that Anindobotrium has a broader biogeographical distribution than previously documented and may include new species. The observation that the Orinoco Basin is connected to the Rio Negro via Cassiquiari suggests that A. lisae may be distributed in both basins. Conversely, Lake Maracaibo has several elements endemic to the Neotropical fauna, suggesting that a new kind of Anindobothrium may be found in this region. (AU)