REDESCRIPTION OF RHABDOCHONA-ANGUILLAE (NEMATODA, RHABDOCHONIDAE), A PARASITE OF EEL, ANGUILLA-ANGUILLA, IN EUROPE

The nematode Rhabdochona anguillae Spaul, 1927, a specific intestinal parasite of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.), is redescribed a nd illustrated from specimens collected from eels of the Sousa River, northern Portugal (prevalence 20%, intensity 2-13). The species is cha racterized by the presence of 14 anterior teeth in the prostom, small non-bifurcate deirids, absence of lateral preanal papillae, by the len gth (0.460-0.660 and 0.130-0.150 mm) and the shape of spicules, fairly large (0.041-0.054 x 0.025-0.030 mm) mature eggs without filaments, a nd by the bluntly pointed to rounded tip of the tail. Its morphologica l features are discussed in relation to other congeneric species. This nematode has hitherto been recorded only from eels in southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria).