Parasitic Helminths from Paraguay VI: Cosmocera Diesing, 1861 (Nematoda: Cosmocercoidea) from Frogs

Abstract

Three species of Cosmocerca Diesing, 1861 (Cosmocercoidea: Cosmocercidae) were recovered from frogs in Paraguay: C. parva Travassos, 1925, from Hyla fuscovaria Lutz, Bufo paracnemis Lutz, Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei, L. elenae Heyer; C. ornata Diesing, 1861, from Leptodactylus bufonius Boul., L. podicipinus (Cope), L. mystacinus (Burmeister); C. podicipinus n. sp. from Leptodactylus podicipinus (Cope); L. fuscus (Schneider), L. elenae Heyer, L. chaquensis Cei. This is the first report of C. ornata in New World frogs. It is suggested that the following species are synonymous with C. ornata : Paracosmocerca mucronata Kung & Wu, 1945, Cosmocercella polissensis Maguza, 1972, Cosmocerca indica Nama & Khichi, 1973, Paracosmocerca spinocerca Rao, 1979, Cosmocerca macrogubernaculum Rao, 1979. The three species from Paraguay are readily distinguished from each other by the shape of the plectanes, distribution and size of the male caudal papillae, and female tail shape. In C. podicipinus n. sp. the sclerotized underlying supports of the plectanes are fused between the plectanes on each side of the body. This is apparently unique for the genus.