GENITOCOTYLE MEDITERRANEA N-SP (DIGENEA, OPECOELIDAE) FROM SYMPHODUS-OCELLATUS (TELEOSTEI, LABRIDAE) IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Genitocytle mediterranea n. sp. is reported from the intestine of Symp hodus ocellatus off the western coast of Corsica (in the Scandola Natu re Reserve). This is the first species of Genitocotyle to be described from European waters : other members of this genus are parasites of f ishes oil the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, G. mediter ranea can be distinguished from its congeners by the anterior limit of the vitelline fields, which is at the level of the ventral sucker, an d, in the case of the Pacific species, by egg-size. This species occur s only in older fish, especially in males, during the third and final year of their life.