Two new American species of Aberrapex (Eucestoda: Lecanicephalidea: Aberrapecidae) from myliobatid stingrays (Batoidea: Myliobatidae)

Author: ALEX L. QUADROS

Here I describe Aberrapex panamensis sp. nov., a parasite of the rough eagle ray Aetomylaeus asperrimus from the eastern Pacific coast of Panama, and Aberrapex catarinensis sp. nov., found in Myliobatis goodei off southern coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Aberrapex panamensis sp. nov. is the second record of Aberrapex Jensen, 2001 for the eastern Pacific Ocean and A. catarinensis sp. nov. is the fifth species of the genus registered in southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The two new species are morphologically distinct from all their congeners. Aberrapex panamensis sp. nov. and A. catarinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from the majority of their congeners by the microthrix pattern on the scolex surface, number of proglottids and testes, length and width of the scolex, uterus extension, and presence and extension of an external seminal vesicle. The description of these two new species of lecanicephalideans expands the knowledge of this cestode order, with A. panamensis sp. nov. being the third species of the genus reported from Aetomylaeus Garman, and A. catarinensis sp. nov. being the sixth species of Aberrapex reported from Myliobatis Cuvier.