Three new species of Acanthocephala from Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) (Acanthocephala: Quadrigyridae) from tinfoil barb fish, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii in Lake Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia

This study was carried out in order to identify acanthocephalan species complexes, based on morphological variability, infecting Barbonymus schwanenfeldii from Lake Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia. Acanthocephala were fixed in ethanol, stained with aceto-carmine and studied morphologically by using a light microscope. Variation in morphological traits such as proboscis, proboscis receptacle, egg, testes shape and location, number of hooks and cement gland has been traditionally used to diagnose the acanthocephalans species but the delimitations between closely related species are still confusing and are always questionable among taxonomists. Molecular analysis was used for support the identification. Morphological variability prospecting reveals the presence of three different new species complexes from the subgenus Acanthosentis by referring published taxonomic keys. These new species may be distinguished from the other 46 described species of Acanthosentis by having six unique structures: the presence of an anterior parareceptacle structure (PRS); vaginal sleeve structure; a paired lateral, cone-shaped, muscular jacket surrounding the vagina; alternating pattern and size of proboscis hooks, variation in proboscis size and shape; the presence of the circular collar ring around the neck between the proboscis and trunk and lastly the presence of a muscular-like structure attached to the collar ring on the proboscis. These acanthocephalans found in the intestine of B. schwanenfeldii in Kenyir Lake Malaysia represent new species, named Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) kenyirensis n.sp., A. (A.) terengganuensis n.sp. and A. (A.) tembatensis n. sp

Morphological Identification of Bolbosoma Turbinella (Acanthocephala) in Sei Whale (Balaenoptera Borealis) From Straits of Malacca, Malaysia

HighlightIdentification of Morphological characteristic of the Bolbosoma sp.Genetic confirmation of the specific species of Bolbosoma turbinella.The first report in Straits of Malacca.Health status of Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis).AbstractThe study of ectoparasite and endoparasites of marine mammals are not habitually done because some species are endangered and protected by law. A stranded Sei Whale, Balaenoptera borealis (Anderson, 1878) from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia was examined for endoparasites. The objective of this study is to identify the species of acanthocephalan in the intestine of the Sei Whale found in the straits of Malacca. A total of ten parasite specimens were collected from the fresh intestine, and were fixed in 10% buffered formalin for further histological procedures. The morphological features of this parasite viewed under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) are referred to as the proboscis armature and variations in the spination of the area between the anterior and posterior cephalic bulb. Genomic DNA extracted by using QIAGEN DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit DNA and sequenced with First Base Sequencer showed that this species belonged to Bolbosoma turbinella. This was the first record of a sei whale carrying the endoparasites Bolbosoma turbinella, in Malaysian waters