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Schizochoerus africanus

Nesolecithus africanus

Klaus Rohde
Based on Dubinina 1982
Containing group: Amphilinidea

Introduction

The species has been recorded from western Africa (Nigeria). Its final host is the freshwater fish Gymnarchus niloticus (Mormyriformes). It reaches a length of 40.5 mm and a width of 19.5 mm. Eggs lack a stalk. Juveniles have been found in the haemocoel of the freshwater prawn Desmocaris trispinosa, also in Nigeria. It appears that the parasites restrict ovarian development of the prawn (Gibson, Bray and Powell, 1987). The species resembles Nesolecithus janickii closely and since both species are distributed in parts of Africa and South America that were adjacent in the Cretacean, they may be vicariant Godwanaland relicts that have little changed over the last 100 million years (Gibson, Bray and Powell, 1987).

Characteristics

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Figure 1. Nesolecithus africanus. Note accessory seminal receptacle consisting of basal narrow and distal widened part. According to Dönges and Harder (1966), redrawn from Dubinina (1982).

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Figure 2. Anterior end of Nesolecithus africanus. According to Dönges and Harder (1966), redrawn from Dubinina (1982).

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Figure 3. Posterior end of Nesolecithus africanus. Note accessory seminal receptacle consisting of basal narrow and distal widened part. According to Dönges and Harder (1966), redrawn from Dubinina (1982).

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Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Figure 4. Egg and larval hooks of Nesolecithus africanus. Note lack of egg stalk. A side view, C apical view, B larval hooks (only two drawn). According to Dönges and Harder (1966), from Dubinina (1982).

Other Names for Schizochoerus africanus

References

Dubinina, M.N. (1982). Parasitic worms of the class Amphilinida (Platyhelminthes). "Nauka", Leningrad (in Russian). (Older references therein).

About This Page

Klaus Rohde
University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Klaus Rohde at

Page: Tree of Life Schizochoerus africanus. Nesolecithus africanus. Authored by Klaus Rohde. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Rohde, Klaus. 2000. Schizochoerus africanus. Nesolecithus africanus. Version 06 December 2000. http://tolweb.org/Schizochoerus_africanus/20419/2000.12.06 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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