ACANTHOCEPHALA FROM ARABIAN GULF FISHES OFF KUWAIT, WITH DESCRIPTIONSOF NEOECHINORHYNCHUS-DIMORPHOSPINUS SP-N (NEOECHINORHYNCHIDAE), TEGORHYNCHUS-HOLOSPINOSUS SP-N (ILLIOSENTIDAE), MICRACANTHORHYNCHINA-KUWAITENSIS SP-N (RHADINORHYNCHIDAE), AND SLENDRORHYNCHUS-BREVICLAVIPROBOSCIS GEN-N, SP-N (DIPLOSENTIDAE) - AND KEY TO SPECIES OF THE GENUS MICRACANTHORHYNCHINA

Five species of acanthocephalans were collected from 14 species of Ara bian Gulf fishes off the coast of Kuwait between 1993 and 1995. They a re the following. (1) Neoechinorhynchus dimorphospinus sp. n. (Neoechi norhynchidae) from Allanetta forskali (Ruppell, 1828), Dorosoma nasus (Bloch, 1795), and Liza macrolepis (Smith, 1849). It is distinguished from the only other species of Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1 905, from fish with unequal proboscis hooks in the anterior circle, Ne oechinorhynchus doryphorus Van Cleave and Bangham, 1949, by having sma ller terminal proboscis hooks and eggs. (2) Tegorhynchus holospinus sp . n. (Illiosentidae) from Leiognathus fasciatus (Lacepede, 1798), Leio gnathus bindus (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835), and Pseudorhombus arsi us (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1827). It is the only species of the genus with cuticular spines covering almost the whole trunk. (3) Micracanthorhyn china kuwaitensis sp. n. (Rhadinorhynchidae) from Hemiramphus marginat us Forskal, 1775. It has the largest number of proboscis hooks per row (13-15) compared to all other species of the genus. A key separating the latter species from the other 6 valid species of the genus is incl uded. (4) Slendrorhynchus breviclaviproboscis gen. n., sp. n. (Diplose ntidae, Allorhadinorhynchinae), from Lagocephalus lunaris (Bloch and S chneider, 1801) and Leiognathus bindus (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835) . It has trunk spines that cover almost the entire body and 4 cement g lands. The other 2 monotypic genera of the subfamily, Allorhadinorhunc hus Yamaguti, 1959, with 2 cement glands and Golavanorhynchus Noronha, Fabio, and Pinto, 1978, with 6 cement glands, have spines in the ante rior part of the trunk only. The diagnosis of the subfamily Allorhadin orhynchinae is emended. (5) Juveniles of Serrasentis sagittifer (Rhadi norhynchidae) were recovered from the body cavity of 6 fish species; a ll are new host records.