MONOECOCESTUS CENTROOVARIRUM SP-N (CESTODA, ANOPLOCEPHALIDAE) FROM ATTWATERS POCKET GOPHER, GEOMYS ATTWATERI, FROM THE SAN-ANTONIO AREA OF TEXAS

Two of 6 (33%) Attwater's pocket gophers, Geomys attwateri, collected from Atascosa County south of San Antonio, Texas, in October and Decem ber 1986 were found to be infected with an undescribed anoplocephaline tapeworm, Monoecocestus centroovarium sp. n. The new species differs from existing species of Monoecocestus in having the ovary centrally l ocated and no overlap between the ovary and the seminal receptacle. Mo noecocestus centroovarium sp. n. most closely resembles M. anoplocepha loides from Geomys breviceps and M. sigmodontis from Sigmodon hispidus . It differs from both of these species by having fewer testes (36-39) , smaller eggs (26 mu m in diameter), a smaller scolex (280 mu m wide) , and excretory canals that do not anastomose.