F. Moravec et Dg. Huffman, Three new helminth species from two endemic plethodontid salamanders, Typhlomolge rathbuni and Eurycea nana, in central Texas, FOL PARASIT, 47(3), 2000, pp. 186-194
Helminthological examination of two rare, endemic species of plethodontid s
alamanders, the Texas blind salamander (Typhlomolge rathbuni Stejneger) and
the San Marcos dwarf salamander (Eurycea nana Bishop), from the subterrane
an waters and springs in San Marcos, Hays County, central Texas; USA reveal
ed the presence of three new, previously undescribed species of intestinal
helminths: Brachycoelium longleyi sp. n. (Trematoda) from T. rathbuni (type
host) and E. nana, Dendronucleata americana sp. n. (Acanthocephala) from T
. rathbuni, and Amphibiocapillaria texensis sp. n. (Nematoda) from T. rathb
uni; nematode larvae probably belonging to the last named species were reco
rded from E. nana. Brachycoelium longleyi can be distinguished from all con
geners primarily by its conspicuously small eggs among other features, wher
eas A. texensis differs from ifs closest congeneric species A. tritonispunc
tati mainly in the structure of mature eggs and a markedly shorter spicule.
Dendronucleata americana is the first species of the family Dendronucleati
dae from the New World, differing from its Asian congeners mainly in the nu
mber and arrangement of proboscis hooks, number of giant hypodermic nuclei
and in the position of testes.