| dc.description.abstract | Species identification based on the morphometry of opisthaptoral hard parts, in combination
with internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA (ITS rDNA) region sequences, confirmed the
presence of four viviparous Gyrodactylus von Nordman, 1832 (Plathyhelminthes, Monogenea)
species on Nototheniid fish from the Prince Gustav Channel (Weddell Sea, Antarctica).
Gyrodactylus antarcticus Gusev, 1967 was found mostly on Trematomus newnesi Boulenger
(93 specimens) but also on T. bernacchii Boulenger (one specimen), the latter representing
a new host record for this species. Gyrodactylus byrdi Hargis & Dillon, 1968 and G. coriicepsi
Rokicka, Lumme & Ziętara, 2009 were recorded on their type hosts, T. newnesi and
Notothenia coriiceps Richardson, respectively. Gyrodactylus wilkesi Hargis & Dillon, 1968
was found mostly on the fins of T. bernacchii (29 specimens), but also on T. hansoni
Boulenger (one specimen) and T. newnesi (three specimens). The finding of G. wilkesi on
T. newnesi represents a new host record. The low number of Gyrodactylus specimens may
indicate an accidental infection. The occurence of all four Gyrodactylus species in the
Prince Gustav Channel represents a new locality record. According to phylogentic methods,
the newly redescribed monogeneans belong to the Antarctic lineage, forming a sister group to
North American and European marine Gyrodactylus species, and consist of two species
groups, one comprising G. coriicepsi and G. nudifronsi Rokicka, Lumme & Ziętara, 2009,
and the other G. anarcticus and G. wilkesi | en_US |
