Morphology of Emoleptalea nwanedi n. sp. from Schilbe intermedius from Nwanedi-Luphephe Dam, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

A new species, Emoleptalea nwanedi n. sp. is described from the intestine of Schilbe intermedius, the silver catfish or butter barbel, from the Nwanedi-Luphephe Dam in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Fish were collected using gill nets where after they were euthanised and dissected. The parasites were sampled, fixed in 70 % EtOH and stained with Van Cleave's haematoxylin. This species represents an addition to the African cluster of Emoleptalea species previously described and differs from the known species due to its unique size, equal size of oral and ventral suckers, position of ovary and seminal receptacle, number of vitelline follicles and their size, as well as the unique ciliated receptors on the wall of the acetabulum. This is the first record of this parasite from the silver catfish and from southern Africa.