Resumen

DAJEM, Saad Bin et al. Morphology and molecular taxonomy of the tongue worm, genus Raillietiella (Pentastomida) from the “ lungs of berber skinks Eumeces schneideri (Scincidae): First report. Rev. argent. microbiol. [online]. 2021, vol.53, n.2, pp.31-40. ISSN 0325-7541.

In the present study, pentastomids belonging to the order Cephalobaenida were isolated from the lungs of Berber skinks Eumeces schneideri (Famiy: Scincidae), which were morphologically described by light and scanning electron microscopy and taxonomically justi- fied by 18s rDNA molecular analyses of the parasites. Seventeen host specimens were collected from well-vegetated wadis at high altitudes, Jizan, Saudi Arabia as new type locality; twelve specimens (70.59%) were infected. All of the recovered parasites were adults, possessed small broadly triangular cephalothorax flattened on the ventral surface and merged smoothly with a uniformly thick and squat abdomen and terminated in a pair of divergent lobes. The results obtained indicated that the parasites belong to the sharp-tipped posterior-hook Raillietiella spp. distinguished from other raillietiedids of the same group some important characteristic fea- tures including annulus number, shape and dimensions of the buccal cadre, copulatory spicules, and anterior and posterior hooks. The anterior hook of the female specimens (n = 5) had a blade length (AB) of 135±5 (110-146) ^m and shank length (BC) 158±5 (150-169) ^m while the posterior hook was much larger with AB measuring 221 ±5 (200-236) m and BC 286 ±6 (280-289) |o.m. For the male specimens (n = 5), the anterior hook had an AB of 73 ±3 (72-75) |j.m and a BC 102±5 (100-103) ^m. The posterior hook was much larger with AB 190.6±5 (190-191).

Palabras clave : Pentastomida; Raillietiella aegypti; Cephalobaenida; Eumeces schneideri; Light and scanning electron microscopy; Molecular study.