A new species of Cosmocerca (Nematoda, Ascaridomorpha) from the marine toad Rhinella marina (Linnaeus) (Anura, Bufonidae) in Australia

Abstract

The marine toad Rhinella marina (Linnaeus) (Anura, Bufonidae) is a notorious, exotic amphibian species in Australia. However, our present knowledge of the composition of the nematode fauna of R. marina is still not complete. In the present study, a new cosmocercid nematode, Cosmocerca multipapillata sp. nov., was described using both light and scanning electron microscopy, based on specimens collected from R. marina in Australia. Cosmocerca multipapillata sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from its congeners by the body size, the presence of lateral alae and well sclerotized gubernaculum, the number and arrangement of plectanes and rosettes and the length of spicules, oesophagus and tail.

Keywords: Ascaridida; Cosmocercoidea; Australasian Region; marine toad Rhinella marina; nematode; new species; parasite.