THE GENUS ARGULUS (CRUSTACEA, BRANCHIURA) IN AFRICA - 2 NEW SPECIES, A-FRYERI AND A-GRACILIS, THE PREVIOUSLY UNDESCRIBED MALE OF A-BRACHYPELTIS FRYER AND THE IDENTITY OF THE MALE DESCRIBED AS A-AMBLOPLITES WILSON
Sk. Rushtonmellor, THE GENUS ARGULUS (CRUSTACEA, BRANCHIURA) IN AFRICA - 2 NEW SPECIES, A-FRYERI AND A-GRACILIS, THE PREVIOUSLY UNDESCRIBED MALE OF A-BRACHYPELTIS FRYER AND THE IDENTITY OF THE MALE DESCRIBED AS A-AMBLOPLITES WILSON, Systematic parasitology, 28(1), 1994, pp. 23-31
Two new species of Argulus Muller, 1785 (Crustacea: Branchiura) are de
scribed from Africa. A. fryeri n. sp., parasitic on an unknown fish sp
ecies collected from Lake Turkana, Kenya, is characterised by: deep an
tero-lateral depressions which delimit a pronounced frontal region; ro
bust, square second maxillae ornamented with numerous small, simple sc
ales; and the shape of the respiratory areas. The most distinctive fea
tures of A. gracilis n. sp., parasitic on Auchenoglanis occidentalis v
ar, tanganicanus collected from Lake Tanganyika, are the anterior spin
es on the first antennae and the shape of the respiratory areas. A, br
achypeltis Fryer, previously known only from the female, is characteri
sed by: a narrow, elongate body with foreshortened carapace lobes; sma
ll, slender terminal spines on the first antennae; and short terminal
segments on the second maxillae with minute claws. The identity of the
male described as A. ambloplites Wilson is discussed and renamed A, c
onfusus nom. nov.