A review of species of Parastrongyloides (Nematoda: Rhabditoidea: Strongyloididae) from Australian marsupials with descriptions of three new species

Abstract

ABSTRACT Three species of Parastrongyloides previously described from the small intestine of Australian marsupials are reviewed and redescribed from new material and in some instances new host species: P. australis Mawson, 1960 from Isoodon obesulus and Perameles gunnii; P. peramelis Mackerras, 1959 from I. macrourus, Perameles nasuta and Perameles gunnii; and P. trichosuri Mackerras, 1959 from Trichosurus vulpecula vulpecula, T. vulpecula johnstoni and Petaurus breviceps. In addition, three new species of Parastrongyloides Morgan, 1928 (Nematoda: Rhabditoidea: Strongyloididae) are described from the small intestines of their hosts: P. nadgeensis from the agile antechinus, Antechinus agilis, the dusky antechinus, A. swainsonii, and the fat-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis crassicaudata; P. timbillicensis from the white-footed dunnart, S. leucopus and S. crassicaudata; and P. walterae from the small intestine of A. swainsonii. Three additional suspected species are partially described from the southern long-nosed bandicoot, P. nasuta; the northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus; and the little-long-tailed dunnart, S. dolichura but not named. A key to the species of Parastrongyloides from Australian marsupials and a monotreme is presented.