A discussion on the Heteracanthocephalidae Petrochenko, 1956 (Acanthocephala : Palaeacanthocephala)

Several heteracanthocephalid specimens were recovered from the flatfish Rhombosolea leporina (Gunther), a host of Heteracanthocephalus peltorhamphi (Baylis, 1944) Petrochenko, 1956 from New Zealand. Unlike H. peltorhamphi, these new specimens have trunk spines. Measurements and proboscis armament of the new specimens are consistent with the worms being Aspersentis minor Edmonds & Smales, 1992 originally described from the Australian flounder Rhombosolea tapirina Gunther. A review of the family Heteracanthocephalidae Petrochenko, 1956 was undertaken to assess the validity of its four genera and eight species. The validity of Aspersentis megarhynchus (Linstow, 1892) Golvan, 1960 (syn. Echinorhynchus megarhynchus Linstow, 1892) is questioned. E. megarhynchus is not considered to be an heteracanthocephalid and is relegated to a species inquirenda. A. megarhynchus (Linstow, 1892) of Golvan (1960) nec E. megarhynchus Linstow, 1892 is considered a synonym of A. austrinus Van Cleave, 1929. The monotypic genus Heteracanthocephalus Petrochenko, 1956 is proposed as a synonym of Aspersentis Van Cleave, 1929 because there appear to be insufficient morphological differences between them. Aspersentis peltorhamphi n. comb. is proposed for Heteracanthocephalus peltorhamphi. The monotypic genus Sachalinorhynchus Krotov & Petrochenko in Petrochenko, 1956 is considered valid, but the other heteracanthocephalid genus, Bullockrhynchus Chandra, Rao & Shyamasundari, 1985, also monotypic, is not. B. indicus Chandra, Rao & Shyamasundari, 1985 possesses more features resembling rhadinorhynchids than heteracanthocephalids but only females are known, and therefore the genus and species cannot be placed. There are currently four valid species of Aspersentis and one of Sachalinorhynchus.

Australian Glow-worms in Caves

Glow-worms are the larvae of a fly from the family Keroplatidae. Their closest relatives are the “fungus flies” that seek out mushrooms for their larvae to consume. Glow-worms have gone out on an evolutionary limb, albeit a successful one. They have lost their association with fungi and have instead become carnivorous. The unique feature of glow-worms is their ability to bioluminesce—to produce light.

Glow worms as a tourist attraction in Springbrook National Park: Visitor attitudes and economic issues

nsect-based tourism mainly caters to a niche market, but its popularity has been growing in recent years. Despite its popularity this form of tourism has remained under-researched and in a sense its contribution to the tourism industry has gone mostly unnoticed. This paper reports the results of a study undertaken on one form of popular insect-based tourism, namely glow worms. The study was undertaken in Springbrook National Park (Natural Bridge section) southeast Queensland, which has one of the largest glow worm colonies in Australia that attracts thousands of visitors each year. A study of this form of tourism is important and useful for several reasons. It is important to understand this hitherto under-studied tourism activity to determine the type of visitors, their socio-economic attributes, economic benefits to the local economy, visitors’ knowledge of glow worms, education imparted, visitor satisfaction of glow worm viewing and visitor attitudes for the introduction of a user fee system to view glow worms. An understanding of these issues could not only help to better manage this valuable biological resource, but can be used to develop the industry to cater to a growing number of visitors. Tourism in glow worms can potentially be used not only to educate the public on the threats affecting glow worms and their colonies, but could also be used to conserve them. Lessons learnt from glow worms as an attraction to Springbrook National Park can be used to better manage and further develop other existing and new glow worm sites in Australia and elsewhere for tourism. Furthermore, it could provide some guidance for the management and development of other forms of current insect-based tourism activities (eg. butterflies) and develop new tourism ventures based on species such as stick insects and jewel beetles for which Australia is well known (Reader’s Digest, 1997)

Morphological and biological notes on Polymorphus (Profilicollis) sphaerocephalus and Corynosoma stanleyi (Polymorphidae : Acanthocephala)

Polymorphus (Profilicollis) sphaerocephalus (Bremser in Rudolphi, 1819) Van Cleave, 1947 (Polymorphidae) cystacanths were recovered from 5 species of grapsid crabs (Paragrapsus gaimardii (Milne Edwards, 1837), Paragrapsus laevis (Dana, 1852), Paragrapsus quadridentatus (Milne Edwards, 1837), Brachynotus spinosus (Milne Edwards, 1853), and Cyclograpsus granulosus (Milne Edwards, 1853)) and 1 species of portunid crab (Nectocarcinus integrifrons (Linnaeus, 1766)) from intertidal zones in southern temperate waters of Australia. Cystacanths of Corynosoma stanleyi Smales, 1986 (Polymorphidae) were also recovered from P. gaimardii, P. quadridentatus, and C. granulosus. Polymorphus (P.) sphaerocephalus was the most prevalent (100%) in C. granulosus at Flinders I. and C. stanleyi was most prevalent (59.1%) in C. granulosus at Dunally Channel, Tasmania.

Acanthocephalus bufonis (Acanthocephala) from Bufo marinus (Bufonidae : Amphibia) in Hawaii

During a survey of the helminth parasites of the introduced load, Bufo marinus, on O'ahu, Hawaii, an acanthocephalan corresponding to Acanthocephalus bufonis (Shipley, 1903) was found in the intestinal tract. This is a new host and locality record for A. bufonis which has only previously been recorded from amphibians in the Orient. Possible mechanisms for the introduction of A. bufonis to Hawaii, and its transmission to the toad, are discussed. Almost 98 % of toads were infected with a mean intensify of: 28.6 acanthocephalans per infected toed. There was a significant negative correlation between host length and intensity of infection with subadult toads having significantly higher infection levels than adult male and female loads. Trunk length of both male and female acanthocephalans was significantly related to host length.

A review of the Arhythmacanthidae (Acanthocephala) with a description of Heterosentis hirsutus n. sp. from Cnidoglanis macrocephala (Plotosidae) in Australia

Heterosentis hirsutus n. sp. is described from Cnidoglanis macrocephalo (Siluriformes: Plotosidae) from the Swan Estuary, Western Australia. It is distinguished by having 14 longitudinal rows of 6-7 hooks per row on the proboscis, a trunk armed anteriorly and posteriorly (=genital spines) with minute spines and lemnisci that may extend to the poster;or margin of the proboscis receptacle The new species also has prominent fragmented nuclei in its trunk well. New information is given for Heterosentis plotosi Yamoguti, 1935 from Plotosus lineatus (Siluriformes: Plotosidae) and H. poraplagusiarum (Nickol, 1972) Amin, 1985 from Paraplogusia guttata (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidoe), both from Queensland. A key to the species of Heterosentis Van Cleave, 1931 is provided. The Arhythmacanthidae subfamilies are reviewed: there is little utility in the recognition of these taxa because of the small number of genera involved and the validity/ of the characters on which they ore based is in doubt, particularly whether trunk spines are present or absent. Only Acanthocephaloides Meyer, 1932, Breizocanthus Golvon, 1969, Euzetocanthus Golvan & Houin, 1964, Heterosentis, Hypoechinorhynchus Yamaguti, 1939 and Paracanthocepholoides Golvan, 1969 of the Arhythmacanthidae are considered valid. A key to these genera is provided. The monotypic genus Neocanthocepholoides Cable & Quick, 1954 is considered a new synonym of Acanthocephaloides thus creating Acanthocephaloides spinicaudatus (Cable & Quick, 1954) n. comb. Arhythmocanthus Yamaguti, 1935 is maintained as a synonym of Heterosentis because the distinction between two and three hook types is made equivocal when the transition between the opical and subapical hooks is gradual.

Hypoechinorhynchus robustus sp n. from Notolabrus parilus (Labridae) from Western Australia with a discussion on the validity of the hypoechinorhynchidae (Acanthocephala : Palaeacanthocephala)

Hypoechinorhynchus robustus sp. n. is described from Notolabrus parilus (Richardson) (Labridae) from Pt Peron, Western Australia. It has a proboscis with 30 hooks arranged in ten longitudinal rows: 5 rows of a small apical spine, a large anterior hook and a small posterior spine, 5 rows of a large anterior hook, a middle spine and a posterior spine. The new species is distinguished from other species of the genus by having a set of 5 small apical spines anterior to the large hooks on the proboscis, by having lemnisci that barely extend beyond the proboscis receptacle and testes which are more adjacent than tandem. H. robustus also has robust trunk spines anteriorly. Re-examination of Hypoechinorhynchus alaeopis Yamaguti, 1939 (type species) revealed trunk spines that had been overlooked previously. The Hypoechinorhynchidae is made a junior synonym of Arhythmacanthidae because there is considerable overlap between the two family diagnoses, particularly in that both families have a proboscis armature that changes abruptly from small basal spines to large apical (or subapical if present) hooks. The genus Hypoechinorhynchus is placed in the subfamily Arhythmacanthinae because it has trunk spines and a spherical proboscis with few hooks (relative to other arhythmacanthid genera). It is also proposed that Heterosentis magellanicus (Szidat, 1950) be returned to the genus Hypoechinorhynchus since it was transferred to Heterosentis primarily because it had trunk spines. The other hypoechinorhynchid genus contained only Bolborhynchoides exiguus (Achmerov et Dombrowskaja-Achmerova, 1941) Achmerov, 1959 and is relegated to incertae sedis.

Dam worms

Human and animal infection rates with the Oriental schistosome have steadily declined in China over the last half-century, but the Three Gorges Dam may reverse this decline by creating new, or enlarging existing, ideal environments for the worm and its aquatic snail intermediate host.

The status of the Diplosentidae (Acanthocephala : Palaeacanthocephala) and a new family of acanthocephalans from Australian wrasses (Pisces : Labridae)

The status and composition of the Diplosentidae Tubangui et Masilungan, 1937 are reviewed. The type species of the type genus, Diplosentis amphacanthi Tubangui et Masilungan, 1937 from Siganus canaliculatus (Park, 1797) in the Philippines, is concluded to have been described inaccurately,in supposedly possessing, only two cement glands and lemnisci enclosed in a membranous sac. The species is almost certainly very close to species of Neorhadinorhynchus yamaguti, 1939 and Sclerocollum Schmidt of Paperna, 1978 which have also been reported from siganids from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Species of these genera have four cement glands and unexceptional lemnisci. As a result, Diplosentis Tubangui et Masilungan, 1937 is best considered to have affinities with the Cavisomidae Meyer, 1932. The Cavisomidae has priority over the Diplosentidae; thus the Diplosentidae becomes a synonym of the Cavisomidae. Neorhadinorhynchus and Sclerocollum are considered synonyms of Diplosentis. The affinities of the other species and genera formerly included in the Diplosentidae (other species of Diplosentis, Allorhadinorhynchus Yamaguti, 1959, Amapacanthus Salgado-Maldonado et Santos, 2000, Pararhadinorhynchus Johnston et Edmonds, 1947, Golvanorhynchus Noronha, do Fabio et Pinto, 1978 and Slendrorhynchus Amin et Soy, 1996) are discussed. It is concluded that all but Pararhadinorhynchus, two species of Diplosentis and Amapacanthus can be accommodated elsewhere satisfactorily. A new family, Transvenidae, is proposed for a small group of acanthocephalans that genuinely possess only two cement glands. Transvena annulospinosa gen. n., sp. n. is described from the labrids Anampses neoguinaicus Bleeker, 1878 (type host), A. geographicus Valenciennes, 1840, A. caeruleopunctatus Ruppell, 1829, Hemigymnus fasciatus (Bloch, 1792), and H. melapterus (Bloch, 1791) from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Transvena gen. n. is distinguished from all other acanthocephalan genera by having a combination of a single ring of small spines on its trunk near or at the junction between the neck and trunk, two cement glands, a double-walled proboscis receptacle and hooks which decrease in length from the apex to the base of the proboscis. A second new genus within the Transvenidae, Trajectura, is proposed for T. perinsolens sp. n. from Anampses neoguinaicus, also from the Great Barrier Reef. Trajectura gen. n. is distinguished by the possession of only two cement glands and an anterior conical projection (function unknown) on the females. Diplosentis ikedai Machida, 1992 shares these characters and is recombined as Trajectura ikedai comb. n. Pararhadinorhynchus is transferred to the Transvenidae and Diplosentis manteri Gupta et Fatma, 1979 is recombined as Pararhadinorhynchus manteri comb. n.

Neoechinorhynchus ningalooensis sp nov (Acanthocephala : Neoechinorhynchidae) from Scarus ghobban and S. psittacus (Scaridae) from Western Australia

Neoechinorhynchus ningalooensis sp. nov, is described from Scarus ghobban Forsskal, 1775 and S. psittacus Forsskal, 1775 (Scaridae) from Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The new species is distinguished by having a combination of the Following: three circles of six hooks on the proboscis; anterior hooks equal in size (66-68 (Im long), middle hooks (50-58 mum long), 79% smaller than anterior hooks, posterior hooks (40-44 mum long) smallest; lemnisci equal in length and extending beyond the proboscis receptacle but not to ovoid testes; terminal papilla absent. This report is the first published account of an acanthocephalan from parrotfish (Scaridae) and the first record of an eoacanthocephalan from the western coast of Australia.

Flotillins and the PHB domain protein family: Rafts, worms and anaesthetics

While our understanding of lipid microdomains has advanced in recent years, many aspects of their formation and dynamics are still unclear. In particular, the molecular determinants that facilitate the partitioning of integral membrane proteins into lipid raft domains are yet to be clarified. This review focuses on a family of raft-associated integral membrane proteins, termed flotillins, which belongs to a larger class of integral membrane proteins that carry an evolutionarily conserved domain called the prohibitin homology (PHB) domain. A number of studies now suggest that eucaryotic proteins carrying this domain have affinity for lipid raft domains. The PHB domain is carried by a diverse array of proteins including stomatin, podocin, the archetypal PHB protein, prohibitin, lower eucaryotic proteins such as the Dictyostelium discoideum proteins vacuolin A and vacuolin B and the Caenorhabditis elegans proteins unc-1, unc-24 and mec-2. The presence of this domain in some procaryotic proteins suggests that the PHB domain may constitute a primordial lipid recognition motif. Recent work has provided new insights into the trafficking and targeting of flotillin and other PHB domain proteins. While the function of this large family of proteins remains unclear, studies of the C. elegans PHB proteins suggest possible links to a class of volatile anaesthetics raising the possibility that these lipophilic agents could influence lipid raft domains. This review will discuss recent insights into the cell biology of flotillins and the large family of evolutionarily conserved PHB domain proteins.