A review of the family Transversotrematidae (Trematoda : Digenea) with the description of a new genus, Crusziella

Abstract

The Transversotrernatidae are reviewed. The following species are recognised: Transversotrema haasi, T. licinum, T. patialense, T. chauhani, Prototransversotrema steeri, P. exquisitum, sp. nov., Crusziella formosa, gen. et sp. nov. and Squamacola parvivitellaria. Four species of Transversotrema (T. koliensis, T. laruei, T. chackai and T. soparkari) are placed into synonymy with T. patialense. The Squamacolidae is made a synonym of the Transversotrernatidae. Prototransversotrema exquisitum is described from Liza subviridis (Mugilidae) from North Queensland. Crusziella formosa is described from Crenimugil crenilabis (Mugilidae) from the southern Great Barrier Reef. New Australian hosts and localities are recorded for Transversotrema haasi, T. licinum, T. patialense and Prototransversotrema steeri. Phylogeny in the Transversotrernatidae is inferred from cladistic analyses of six characters. This analysis suggests that Crusziella and Transversotrema are most closely related. The geographical distribution and host-specificity of the Transversotrernatidae is discussed.