Description of two new species of dactylogirids (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from Mylossoma albiscopum (Cope, 1872) (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae) from the Peruvian Amazonia.

INTRODUCTION

Two new dactylogyrid monogeneans, Anacanthorus cultro n. sp. and Notozothecium palometae n. sp., are described based on specimens collected from the gill filaments of Mylossoma albiscopum (Cope, 1872) (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), a pelagic and herbivore teleost collected in the Tigre river, Loreto, Peru.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Some monogeneans were stained with Gomori's trichrome and mounted in Canada Balsam to determine internal soft structures. Others were cleared in Hoyer's medium for the study of sclerotized structures. Drawings were made using a drawing tube and a microprojector.

RESULTS

Anacanthorus cultro n. sp. is characterized by the presence of a rod-shaped male copulatory organ (MCO) lacking featherlike structures, and a knife-shaped accessory piece with a submedial knob. Notozothecium palometae n. sp. can be distinguished from all congeners by its MCO with a subbasal spur and an accessory piece with inverted hammer shaped.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first data on the parasites of M. albiscopum, a popular fish in local markets. Anacanthorus cultro n. sp. is the twenty-fifth documented species of the genus in Peru, while N. palometae n. sp. represents the seventh species of the genus known to infect freshwater fish species in Peru.