Rhabdias (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from Chamaeleonidae (Sauria): two new species from Trioceros ellioti in east Africa and one from Brookesia superciliaris in Madagascar

Abstract

Rhabdias casiraghii n. sp. and R. kibiraensis n. sp. are described from Trioceros ellioti from Burundi and co-infection was observed in one of the host specimens. Distinctive characters between these species are, among others, the mouth and buccal capsule in front view, both of which are round in the former and laterally flattened in the latter species. Both species have a complete set of submedian head papillae (three in each submedian axis) as observed in the fourth stage larva of R. americanus from anurans. This primitive character opposes them to other species parasitic in Chamaeleonidae that have a single papilla per axis. The third species is the first described from the primitive chamaeleonid genus Brookesia; R. brygooi n. sp. from B. superciliaris from Madagascar can be distinguished from other Rhabdias in Chamaeleonidae by the small diameter of its mouth and buccal capsule. In this character, it resembles parasites from anurans. However, its infective larva has a rounded caudal extremity ornated with buds, as described in species of Rhabdias parasitic in Chamaeleonidae.

Keywords

• biology
• chameleons
• 12S rDNA
• infective larva
• morphology
• Rhabdias brygooi n. sp.
• Rhabdias casiraghii n. sp.
• Rhabdias kibiraensis n. sp