Systematic status of Laurotravassoxyuris bravoae Osorio-Sarabia, 1984 (Nematoda : Pharyngodonidae) [= Atractis bravoae (Osorio-Sarabia, 1984) n. comb.: Cosmocercidae]

Re-examination of type-specimens of the nematode Laurotravassoxyuris bravoa e Osorio-Sarabia, 1984, originating from the type-host, Cichlasoma istlanum Jordan et Snyder, from Mexico, has shown that these do not belong to Oxyur oidea Cobbold, 1864; in fact, the specimens included in the type-series of L. bravoae belong to two different families of the Cosmocercoidea Railliet, 1916: the Atractidae Railliet, 1917 and the Cosmocercidae Railliet, 1916. Both forms are described. Since the holotype of L. bravoae belongs to the f ormer family, this species is transferred to Atractis Dujardin, 1845 as A. bravoae (Osorio-Sarabia, 1984) n. comb., whereas the female nematodes, belo nging to the latter family, cannot be explicitly assigned to a genus or a s pecies (although they might be conspecific with Raillietnema kritscheri Mor avec, Salgado-Maldonado & Pineda-Lopez, 1993). A. bravoae is the first spec ies of Atractis reported from fishes; its morphology differs distinctly fro m that in other congeners.