Cercopithifilaria shohoi n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from the relict Bovidae, Capricornis crispus, in Japan.

Cercopithifilaria shohoi n. sp. was found in the relict bovid, Capricornis crispus, in Japan, and is described and compared with other species in the genus. Adult male and female worms were found in subcutaneous tissues of the trunks of 6 serows shot in Mt. Zao, Yamagata Prefecture, in the northern part of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The one complete male found was 19.7 mm long, and the five females were 31.6-50.9 mm long. Unsheathed or sheathed microfilariae 104-122 microns long were taken from the females. One microfilaria was found in the sediment of the preservation solution of the tissues, but none were found in the blood of the infected serows, so microfilariae may be limited to the skin. Males of this species had one pair of papillae between perianal and subterminal groups of caudal papillae. In having this intermediate pair, C. shohoi n. sp. resembled species such as C. faini from an African bovid and C. rugosicauda from a European deer. From its morphological characteristics, C. shohoi n. sp. seems to be one of the more primitive species in the genus Cercopithifilaria.