Pearsonellum-Corventum, Gen-Nov Et Sp-Nov (Digenea, Sanguinicolidae), in Serranid Fishes From the Capricornia Section of the Great-Barrier-Reef

Abstract

Pearsonellum corventum, gen. et sp. nov., is described from the heart of Plectropomus leopardus (type host), Epinephelus quoyanus, E. merra, and E. ongus from the vicinity of Heron I. in the Great Barrier Reef. It has body spines in ventrolateral transverse rows, an X-shaped intestine with long posterior caeca, a single testis, a unique auxillary external seminal vesicle, a well-developed cirrus sac, a post-testicular ovary, a partly preovarian uterus, and a well-developed metraterm. Those characteristics support a closer relationship among many piscine blood fluke genera than indicated by the seven subfamilies recognised in Yamaguti's 'Synopsis of Digenetic Trematodes of Vertebrates'.