Systematics of Pseudocavisoma (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchida): assessment of familial affiliation, establishment of a new species, and complementary redescription of the type species based on syntypes.

Abstract

The familial affiliation of the so-far-monotypic palaeacanthocephalan genus Pseudocavisoma Golvan & Houin, 1964 has solely been based on morphological characteristics, lacking nucleotide sequence data. In this paper, we assess the phylogenetic position of the genus with a dataset consisting of partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and the nuclear 18S and 28S rRNA genes for 37 species of palaeacanthocephalans available in public databases along with the ones determined from the new species Pseudocavisoma setoense sp. nov., herein established with specimens collected from the intestine of the pearl-spot chromis Chromis notata (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) obtained in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Our results suggested that Pseudocavisoma should be placed in Micracanthorhynchinidae Yamaguti, 1963, rather than in Cavisomatidae Meyer, 1932 as had been considered by previous authors. Because Micracanthorhynchinidae has been regarded synonymous with Rhadinorhynchidae Lühe, 1912 since 1985, we re-validate the former taxon while providing an amended diagnosis for it. Pseudocavisoma setoense sp. nov. can be distinguished from the sole congener Pseudocavisoma chromitidis (Cable & Quick, 1954) by the distributional pattern and the size of spines on the trunk. We provide a partial morphological redescription of the latter species based on syntypes of Cavisoma chromitidis Cable & Quick, 1954. We also provide an amended diagnosis for Pseudocavisoma to accommodate P. setoense sp. nov.