CAPILLARIA (HEPATOCAPILLARIA) CICHLASOMAE (NEMATODA, CAPILLARIIDAE) FROM THE LIVER OF THE CICHLID FISH CICHLASOMA-UROPHTHALAMUS FROM YUCATAN, MEXICO

Capillaria (Hepatocapillaria) cichlasomae sp. n., parasitic in the liv er of the cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus (Gunther) from a small fresh water lake (''aguada'') Xpoc in Yucatan, Mexico, is described. The par asite is characterized mainly by its small body size (male 1.8 mm, fem ale 4.5 mm), the structure of the stichosome (markedly short stichocyt es in one row) and the male (the presence of a pair of small subventra l postanal papillae) and female (anus distinctly subterminal) caudal e nds, and by the size and structure of the spicule (spicule 0.068-0.085 mm long, with marked transverse grooves on surface) and eggs (size 0. 053-0.058 x 0.023 mm, with protruding polar plugs). This is the second known Capillaria species from the liver of fish and the first one fro m the liver of a freshwater fish.