Crossing barriers of zoogeographical regions: Molecular evidence of vicariance of the only cestode parasite of loaches (Cobitidae) in the Indomalayan region, Paracaryophyllaeus lepidocephali (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), and its redescription.

Tapeworms of the genus Paracaryophyllaeus Kulakovskaya, 1961 (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea) are specific parasites of loaches (Cypriniformes: Cobitoidea) and occur almost exclusively in the Palaearctic region. The only exception and example of vicariance over the borders of two zoogeographical regions is Paracaryophyllaeus lepidocephali (Kundu, 1985), an insufficiently known species described from the Indomalayan region, with uncertain generic allocation. In the present paper, the species is redescribed based on new material collected from the type host, Lepidocephalichthys guntea, in West Bengal, India. Molecular data reveal this species as a member of Paracaryophyllaeus, within which it is the most closely related to P. cf. gotoi from Misgurnus anguillicaudatus in China and Japan on the basis of large subunit of ribosomal nuclear DNA (28S rDNA). Generic position of P. lepidocephali examined herein is also confirmed by morphology including cross sections, in particular, by a small, cylindrical body, medullary testes with testicular fields crossing the anterior margin of the cirrus sac, medullary vitelline follicles, with some follicles paramuscular, a shallow common genital atrium, short vagina and uterus not extending anteriorly beyond the cirrus sac. It differs from all Palaearctic congeners but Paracaryophyllaeus vladkae Scholz, Oros and Aydogdu, 2014 by the testicular field crossing the anterior margin of the cirrus sac. It differs from P. vladkae by more anterior position of the first vitelline follicles compared to the first testes. This species is a unique example of a fish tapeworm crossing the borders of the Palaearctic and Indomalayan zoogeographical regions.

Catalogue of Indian Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea).

The present communication consists of the first ever catalogue of Indian Notodontidae Stephens, 1829 comprising systematic accounts of 242 species (including nominotypical subspecies) and 10 subspecies under 116 genera of 10 subfamilies with four new records to India viz. Phalera (Phalera) birmicola Bryk, 1949, Spatalina desiccata stolida Schintlmeister, 2007, Hiradonta hannemanni Schintlmeister, 1989 and Kamalia tattakana (Matsumura, 1927). The account was prepared by compiling findings from both literature survey and field sampling carried out at various Protected Areas in the Indian Himalayas and Chhattisgarh state in the Deccan Peninsular region of India. Zoogeographic analysis of Indian Notodontidae reveals a majority of the assemblage showing Oriental (58.27%) and Palaearctic (40.49%) affinities with maximum species of Sundanian (80.00%), followed by Himalayan (77.65%) origins. In India, the majority of the species are distributed in the Himalayan (35.33%) and North-East (39.40%) biogeographic zones, reflecting maximum endemicity. Extensive surveys in the less explored southern part of the country are expected to enrich the inventory of Indian Notodontidae. The distribution map and detailed illustrations of the four new records are provided.

Ultrastructural changes in Raillietina (Platyhelminthes: cestoda), exposed to sulfonoquinovosyldiacylglyceride (SQDG), isolated from Neem (Azadirachta indica).

Neem (Azadirachta indica), has been known to be a curative for various ailments and diseases in the traditional Indian medicinal system from times immemorial. A glycolipid sulfonoquinovosyldiacylglyceride (SQDG) isolated from the leaves of neem has been found to be a proactive antibacterial and antiviral agent in previous studies. The current communication pertains to the anthelmintic activity of SQDG in vitro against a model cestode Raillietina spp. The results of efficacy tests showed a paralysis time of 1.0 ± 0.1 and 0.7 ± 0.01 h, whereas death time of 1.6 ± 0.3 and 0.9 ± 0.02 h, following treatments with dosages of 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. The scanning electron microscopic studies showed significant and unique changes in the ultrastructure of the worms with prominent breakages and furrows on the surface.

An annotated list of the species of Gangesia Woodland, 1924 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea), parasites of catfishes in Asia, with new synonyms and a key to their identification.

An annotated list of tapeworms of the genus Gangesia Woodland, 1924 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea), parasites of siluriform fishes in Asia, is provided. Based on the morphological examination of museum specimens and newly collected material from China, Japan and Russia, as well as the results of a previous revision of the Indomalayan species, only eight of more than 50 nominal taxa are considered to be valid. These are: from India and neighbouring countries, Gangesia bengalensis (Southwell, 1913) (type-species), G. agraensis Verma, 1928, both from Wallago attu (Bloch & Schneider) (Siluridae), G. macrones Woodland, 1924 from Sperata seenghala (Sykes) (Bagridae) and G. vachai (Gupta & Parmar, 1988) from different catfishes (type-host Eutropiichthys vacha (Hamilton); Schilbeidae), and, from the Palaearctic, G. margolisi Shimazu, 1994, a parasite of Silurus biwaensis (Tomoda) (Siluridae) in Japan, G. oligonchis Roitman & Freze, 1964 from Tachysurus fulvidraco (Richardson) (Bagridae) in Russia, and G. parasiluri Yamaguti, 1934 and G. polyonchis Roitman & Freze, 1964, both from Silurus asotus L. (Siluridae) in Japan and Russia, respectively. The poorly known G. oligonchis is redescribed. Seven new synonyms are proposed: G. chauhani Mathur & Srivastav, 2000, G. wallaguae Pradhan, Kulkarni, Kale & Wakle, 2010 and G. shivajiraoi Dhole, Waghmare & Chavan, 2012 are synonymised with G. agraensis; G. striatusii Bhure & Nanaware, 2012 and Silurotaenia govindii Sawarkar, 2013 with G. macrones; G. spasskajae Demshin, 1987 with G. polyonchis; and Silurotaenia spinula Chen, 1984 with Postgangesia orientalis Akhmerov, 1969. Gangesia pseudobagrae Chen, 1962 is considered to be a species inquirenda, whereas G. chauhani Mathur, 1992 and G. dineshei Jaysingpure, 2002 are recognised as unavailable names. An amended generic diagnosis of Gangesia and a key to the identification of its recognised species are also provided.

Isolation, structural elucidation and cytotoxicity evaluation of a new pentahydroxy-pimarane diterpenoid along with other chemical constituents from Aerva lanata.

Aervalanata possesses various useful medicinal and pharmaceutical activities. Phytochemical investigation of the plant has now led to the isolation of a new 2α,3α,15,16,19-pentahydroxy pimar-8(14)-ene diterpenoid (1) together with 12 other known compounds identified as ß-sitosterol (2), ß-sitosterol-3-O-ß-D-glucoside (3), canthin-6-one (4), 10-hydroxycanthin-6-one (aervine, 5), 10-methoxycanthin-6-one (methylaervine, 6), ß-carboline-1-propionic acid (7), 1-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3R,8E)-2-[(2'R)-2-hydroxylpalmitoylamino]-8-octadecene-1,3-diol (8), 1-O-(ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-(2S,3S,4R,8Z)-2-[(2'R)-2'-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-8(Z)-octadene-1,3,4-triol (9), (2S,3S,4R,10E)-2-[(2'R)-2'-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-10-octadecene-1,3,4-triol (10), 6'-O-(4″-hydroxy-trans-cinnamoyl)-kaempferol-3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (tribuloside, 11), 3-cinnamoyltribuloside (12) and sulfonoquinovosyldiacylglyceride (13). Among these, six compounds (8-13) are reported for the first time from this plant. Cytotoxicity evaluation of the compounds against five cancer cell lines (CHO, HepG2, HeLa, A-431 and MCF-7) shows promising IC50 values for compounds 4, 6 and 12.

Revision of Gangesia (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) in the Indomalayan region: morphology, molecules and surface ultrastructure.

Tapeworms of Gangesia Woodland, 1924 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) parasitic in freshwater fishes in the Indomalayan Region were critically reviewed. Evaluation of type specimens and newly collected materials from Bangladesh, Cambodia and India, as well as critical examination of extensive literature have shown that only the following four species, instead of 48 nominal species of Gangesia and Silurotaenia Nybelin, 1942 reported from this region (36 new synonymies proposed), are valid: Gangesia bengalensis (Southwell, 1913), type-species of the genus and most common parasite of Wallago attu (Siluridae), G. macrones Woodland, 1924 typical of Sperata seenghala (Bagridae), both species characterized by the possession of two circles of hooks on the rostellum-like organ and several rows of hooklets on the anterior margins of suckers; G. agraensis Verma, 1928 from W. attu (typical host), which has the scolex with only one circle of hooks and 1-3 incomplete rows of tiny hooklets on the suckers; and G. vachai (Gupta and Parmar, 1988) n. comb. from several catfishes, which possesses 4-6 circles of hooks and 5-11 rows of hooklets on the anterior half of suckers. Scolex morphology, including surface ultrastructure (microtriches), of all but one species (G. vachai) is described for the first time using scanning electron microscopy. A phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequences encoding the large nuclear ribosomal subunit RNA gene has shown that three Indomalayan species, namely G. bengalensis, G. macrones and G. vachai, form a monophyletic group within Gangesia, whereas G. agraensis tends to form a clade with the Palaearctic species of the genus. A table with differential characters of all species from the Indomalayan Region is also provided together with a key to identification of genera of the subfamily Gangesiinae. The present study demonstrates that species of Silurotaenia do not occur in the Indomalayan region.

A new monozoic tapeworm, Lobulovarium longiovatum n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), from barbs Puntius spp. (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Indomalayan region.

A new caryophyllidean cestode is described from barbs Puntius spp. (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), with P. sophore (Hamilton) as its type-host, in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins in India and Bangladesh, and a new genus, Lobulovarium n. g., is proposed to accommodate it. The genus belongs to the Lytocestidae because its vitelline follicles are situated in the cortex. It is typified by: (i) a peculiar ovary, which is roughly H-shaped, but with asymmetrical, irregular lobes on its ventral and dorsal sides; (ii) an extensive vitellarium formed by numerous vitelline follicles scattered throughout the cortex; (iii) a long, conical postovarian part of the body with numerous vitelline follicles; (iv) a broadly digitate scolex with a slightly protrusible central cone; (v) a single gonopore (male and female genital ducts open via a single pore and a common genital atrium is absent); and (vi) a small number of testes (< 60). Molecular data (partial sequences of the lsrDNA) indicate that Lobulovarium longiovatum n. sp. belongs among the most basal caryophyllidean cestodes, being unrelated to species from siluriform catfishes in the Indomalayan region. Paracaryophyllaeus osteobramensis (Gupta & Sinha, 1984) Hafeezullah, 1993 (syn. Pliovitellaria osteobramensis Gupta & Sinha, 1984) from another cyprinid fish, Osteobrama cotio (Hamilton), in Uttar Pradesh, India, is tentatively transferred to Lobulovarium as L. osteobramense (Gupta & Sinha, 1984) n. comb. It differs from L. longiovatum by having much smaller eggs (length <50 µm versus >90 µm in L. longiovatum), which are spherical (length/width ratio 1:1 versus 2.5-3:1 in the new species), and the presence of vitelline follicles alongside the ovarian lobes (almost completely absent in L. longiovatum).

Spermatological characters of monozoic tapeworms (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), including first data on a species from the Indomalayan catfish.

The ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and mature spermatozoon in Lytocestus indicus (Cestoda: Lytocestidae) is described; this is the first representative of this group of monozoic, presumably most basal, tapeworms (Eucestoda) from the Indomalayan region to be documented in this manner. Similarly, as in other caryophyllideans, its spermiogenesis involves the formation of a conical differentiation zone with 2 centrioles associated with striated roots and an intercentriolar body. In the course of the process, 1 of the centrioles develops a free flagellum, which fuses with a cytoplasmic protrusion, whereas the other remains oriented in a cytoplasmic bud. Spermiogenesis is also characterized by the presence of electron-dense material in the early stages of spermiogenesis and a slight rotation of the flagellar bud. The mature spermatozoon of L. indicus is a filiform cell tapered at both extremities that lacks mitochondria; its nucleus has parallel disposition to the axoneme and does not reach up to the posterior extremity of the spermatozoon, which is typical for spermatozoa of the type III pattern. The new data confirm that caryophyllideans share the same type of spermiogenesis that is considered to be plesiomorphic in the Eucestoda. The existing information on spermatological ultrastructure of 8 members for 3 of 4 caryophyllidean families from different host groups (cyprinids and catostomids, both Cypriniformes, and mochokids and clariids, both Siluriformes) from 4 zoogeographical regions (Palearctic, Neotropic, Ethiopian, and Indomalayan regions) demonstrates great uniformity in spermiogenesis and sperm ultrastructure, which does not reflect different taxonomic position of the species studied.

Cestodes (Caryophyllidea) of the stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae) from Asia.

The stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) (Siluriformes: Heteropneustidae) has been reported to harbor as many as 19 species of caryophyllidean tapeworms (Cestoda) of 11 genera in tropical Asia (Indomalayan zoogeographical region). However, a critical review of the species composition has shown that only 1 species, Lucknowia fossilisi Gupta, 1961 (Lytocestidae), is a specific parasite of H. fossilis. Three other species, Djombangia penetrans Bovien, 1926 (syn., Djombangia caballeroi Sahay and Sahay, 1977 ), Pseudocaryophyllaeus ritai Gupta and Singh, 1983 (syn. Pseudocaryophyllaeus lucknowensis Gupta and Sinha, 1984 ), and Pseudocaryophyllaeus tenuicollis (Bovien, 1926) Ash, Scholz, Oros and Kar, 2011 (syn. P. mackiewiczi Gupta and Parmar, 1982 ), were found only once. Lucknowia fossilisi is redescribed on the basis of new material collected in West Bengal and voucher specimens from Maharashtra, India. A total of 9 species of Capingentoides, Lucknowia, Lytocestus, Pseudoadenoscolex, Pseudocaryophyllaeus, Pseudoheteroinverta, and Sukhapatae are newly synonymized with L. fossilisi and previous synonymies of 9 other species, proposed by Hafeezulah (1993), are confirmed. Generic diagnosis of Lucknowia Gupta, 1961 is amended. In addition, 1 species of Pseudobatrachus and 2 species of the monotypic genera Pseudoneckinverta and Sudhaena are invalidated as nomina nuda.

Tapeworms (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), parasites of Clarias batrachus (Pisces: Siluriformes) in the Indomalayan region.

Revision of monozoic cestodes (Caryophyllidea) parasitic in commercially important walking catfish Clarias batrachus (L.) in tropical Asia (Indomalayan zoogeographical region) was carried out, based on the evaluation of newly collected material from India, Indonesia, and Thailand, as well as a study of type specimens. Instead of the 59 nominal taxa of 15 genera from 3 caryophyllidean families previously described, only 8 species of the Lytocestidae are considered to be valid: Bovienia indica (Niyogi, Gupta and Agarwal, 1982) n. comb.; Bovienia raipurensis (Satpute and Agarwal, 1980) Mackiewicz, 1994; Bovienia serialis (Bovien, 1926) Fuhrmann, 1931; Djombangia penetrans Bovien, 1926; Lucknowia microcephala (Bovien, 1926) n. comb.; Lytocestus indicus (Moghe, 1925) Woodland 1926; Pseudocaryophyllaeus ritai Gupta and Singh, 1983; and Pseudocaryophyllaeus tenuicollis (Bovien, 1926) n. comb. All valid species are redescribed and SEM photomicrographs of their scolices and photomicrographs of their eggs are provided for the first time. Crescentovitus Murhar, 1963, Heeradevina Srivastav and Khare, 2005, Pseudobatrachus Pathak and Srivastav, 2005, Pseudobilobulata Srivastav and Lohia, 2002, Pseudoclariasis Pathak, 2002, and Pseudoinverta Pathak, 2002 are invalidated and 50 nominal species are newly synonymized, including 4 species described from other fish hosts. Taxonomic status of the remaining caryophyllidean taxa reported from C. batrachus (at least 6 taxa) could not be clarified because of the unavailability of their original descriptions. A key to identification of caryophyllidean tapeworms parasitic in C. batrachus is provided. To avoid current inflation of descriptions of invalid taxa, researchers are strongly encouraged to work only with well-fixed material; damaged, decomposed, or strongly flattened specimens should not be used for taxonomic studies, and type specimens must always be deposited in internationally recognized collections.

Ritacestus gen. n. (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) and redescription of R. ritaii comb. n., a parasite of Rita rita (Siluriformes) in India.

A new genus, Ritacestus, is proposed to accommodate Ritacestus ritaii (Verma, 1926) comb. n. (syn. Proteocephalus ritaii), a parasite of the catfish Rita rita (Hamilton) in India. The new genus, which is placed in the Gangesiinae, is characterized by (i) a small, subspherical scolex formed by four large lobes separated from one another by longitudinal grooves, with a large, widely oval to pyriform rostellum-like apical organ, larger than suckers and possessing an apical hemispherical depression; (ii) paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles (most follicles are situated medullary); (iii) ventral and dorsal bands of vitelline follicles usually uninterrupted ventral to terminal genitalia and reaching to the posterior margin of proglottides; (iv) the vagina always anterior to the cirrus-sac; (v) a large size of the body (length up to 51 cm); and (vi) development of the uterus of type 2. In its morphology, especially shape of the scolex and apical organ, and paramuscular and cortical position of some vitelline follicles, Ritacestus resembles Postgangesia Akhmerov, 1969, but differs in the presence of a genital atrium (both genital pores of Postgangesia are separate), the anterior position of the vagina (almost always posterior in the latter genus), position of vitelline follicles in cross sections (dorsal and ventral bands in Ritacestus versus only a lateral band in the latter genus), and dorsal excretory canals indistinguishable in mature and gravid proglottides of R. ritaii (well developed in Postgangesia spp.). The type and only species of the genus, R. ritaii, is redescribed on the basis of new material from the type host from the Ganges River basin in India and its neotype is designated.

New data on the morphology and taxonomy of three species of Rhabdochona (Nematoda:Rhabdochonidae) parasitizing fishes in India.

Specimens of three little-known species of Rhabdochona (Nematoda: Rhabdochonidae) were collected during occasional examinations of some freshwater fishes in India: R. (Rhabdochona) hellichi turkestanica (Skryabin, 1917) in Schizothorax sp. (Cyprinidae, Cypriniformes) from the Lodhomakhola and Rangit Rivers, West Bengal and Sikkim, respectively; R. (R.) hospeti Thapar, 1950 in Tor sp. (Cyprinidae) from the Rangit River; and R. (Globochona) mazeedi Prasad et Sahay, 1965 in Clupisoma garua (Hamilton) (Schilbeidae, Siluriformes) from the Farakka Dam Lake, West Bengal. Their detailed light and electron microscopical studies revealed some taxonomically important, previously not observed features and made possible their redescription. Fourth-stage larvae of R. hospeti are described for the first time. Rhabdochona hellichi turkestanica (syns. R. denudata filamentosa Bykhovskaya-Pavlovskaya, 1936, R. kashmirensis Thapar, 1950, R. schizothoracis Siddiqi et Khattak, 1984) is proposed as a subspecies, differing from the nominotypical subspecies R. hellichi hellichi (Srámek, 1901) mainly in the shape of the distal end of the left spicule, molecular data and geographical distribution. Rhabdochona moraveci Katoch et Kalia, 1991 (a homonym to R. moraveci Duggal et Kaur, 1987) is renamed R. indica nom. n. The following six species are considered new junior synonyms of R. hospeti: Comephronema [sic] mackiewiczi Malhotra et Rautela, 1984, Rhabdochona moraveci Duggal et Kaur, 1987, R. bifidum Kakar et Bilqees, 2007, R. uvaginus Kakar et Bilqees, 2007, R. bolani Kakar, Bilqees et Ahmad, 2008 and R. cephalodiverticula Kakar, Bilqees et Ahmad, 2008. Rhabdochona edentati Paul et Majumdar, 1994 is considered a species incertae sedis.

Predatory activity of Rhantus sikkimensis and larvae of Toxorhynchites splendens on mosquito larvae in Darjeeling, India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Predation potential of the dytiscid beetle, Rhantus sikkimensis Regimbart 1899 and the larvae of Toxorhynchites splendens Wiedemann 1819 occurring along with the larval stages of the mosquitoes in the annual lentic water bodies of Darjeeling was evaluated using the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 as preys, in the laboratory under simulated natural conditions. METHODS: Field collected R. sikkimensis and larvae of Tx. splendens were offered IV instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus to observe the rate of predation, at varying prey and predator densities. Based on the data obtained on the predation for a period of three consecutive days, two indices of predation, predatory impact (PI) and clearance rate (CR) values were estimated, and compared between the predator species. RESULTS: The rate of predation of IV instar Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae by R. sikkimensis ranged between 21.56 and 86.89 larvae per day, depending on the prey and predator densities. The PI value remained between 18.67 and 35.33 larvae/day depending on prey densities, while the CR ranged between 2.21 and 2.23 larvae litres/day/predator. Compared to these, the Tx. splendens larvae consumed the prey larvae at the rate of 0.67 to 34.22 larvae per day, depending on the prey and predator densities. The PI value ranged between 7.67 and 11.33 larvae/day, and the CR value ranged between 1.41 and 1.76 larvae litres/day/predator. The rate of predation, CR values and PI values of R. sikkimensis and Tx. splendens varied significantly. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: Both the predators R. sikkimensis and larvae of Tx. splendens can consume a good number of mosquito larvae, though the rate of consumption between the two predators vary owing to the difference in the life history traits and features. It can be assumed that these predators play an important role in larval population regulation of mosquitoes and thereby impart an effect on species composition and interactions in the aquatic insect communities of Darjeeling Hills, India.