Ascocotyle (Phagicola) rara sp. n. (Digenea, Heterophyidae) from Ixobrychus exilis (Aves, Ardeidae) in Brazil

Abstract

Ascocotyle (Phagicola) rara sp. n. is described from the intestine of Ixobiyclius exilis (Gmelin, 1789), a Brazilian bittern. The new species is compared with Ascocotyle (Phagicola) angeloi Travassos, 1928 and Ascocotyle (Phagicola) moUieiiisicola (Sogandares-Bernal & Bridgman, 1960); the main distinguishing characters are related to the aspect of the gonotyl that is not perforated in A. (P.) rara sp. n. when compared to A. (P.) mollienisicola and the absence of the crown of spines at the anteriorend in the new species compared withA. (P.) angeloi. This is an important finding, since human infections by Phagicola spp. have been previously reported in Brazil.