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The monotypic Protorhinoxenus gen. n. is proposed to accommodate a species with the following characteristics: 1) tubular sclerotised vagina, 2) vaginal pore dextrolateral, 3) ventral and dorsal anchors with undifferentiated elongate shaft and base (representing approximately 2/3 of the length of anchor), and 4) superficial and deep roots of ventral and dorsal anchors lacking. Protorhinoxenus prochilodi sp. n. is described from the gills of Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes) of the Represa Capivari-Cachoeira, Municipality of Campina Grande do Sul, metropolitan area of Curitiba, Paraná. Specimens of other probable new species of Protorhinoxenus are reported from Prochilodus lineatus of the Rio Paranapanema, Municipality of Salto Grande, São Paulo; Hoplias spp. of the Rio Dois de Fevereiro, Municipality of Antonina, Paraná, and the Rio Piraquara, metropolitan area of Curitiba, Paraná; Leporinus elongatus Valenciennes of the Rio Tibagi, Municipality of Jataizinho, Paraná; and Schizodon fasciatum Agassiz of the Rio Solimões, island of Marchantaria, near Manaus, Amazonas. Protorhinoxenus appears to be a sister group of Rhinoxenus Kritsky, Boeger et Thatcher, 1988 based on the following apparent synapomorphies: 1) ventral and dorsal anchors lacking superficial and deep roots, 2) ventral and dorsal anchors with elongate shaft, and 3) male copulatory organ with counterclockwise rings.

Logos Verlag, Berlin, 2001. ISBN 3-89722-681-2, paperback, 1316 pp. Price EUR 31.00.

Using histochemical and cytophotometric methods, enzymes responsible for the membrane transport (alkaline phosphatase, adenosine triphosphatase, and 5-nucleotidase) in the developing sporocyst of Fasciola hepatica (L., 1758) were studied. The most active metabolism occurred in the germ balls of sporocysts on the 8th and 15th days of development, which is associated with intensive proliferation and subsequently differentiation of embryos within the germ balls.

The life cycle of marine Eubothrium sp. (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea), from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) was experimentally completed in one year and included only one intermediate host (Acartia tonsa Dana) (Copepoda: Calanoida). Adult cestodes were collected from farmed salmon, and ripe eggs released by the cestodes were fed to Acartia tonsa. Ingested eggs hatched in the gut and the larvae developed in the haemocoel of the copepod for 15 days at 16°C. A total of 170 seawater-reared salmon were exposed to infected copepods and the total prevalence of Eubothrium sp. in the salmon after infection was 95.3%, with a mean intensity of 15.0 (range 1-87). The infected salmon were kept in the laboratory where the growth of the cestodes was studied for eleven months. Mean length of the cestodes increased with time, but a large variation among the cestodes was observed. Growth and maturation of the cestodes were dependent on host size and the number of worms present in the intestine. No evidence of mortality of Eubothrium sp. was observed during the experimental period.

Patrimoines naturels, Vol. 50. Publications Scientifiques du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 2001. ISSN 1281-6213, ISBN 2-85653-538-0, paperback, 463 pp. Price €40.21.

Academia, Praha, 2001. ISBN 80-200-0907-8, hardback, 168 pp. Price CZK (Czech crowns) 195.00.

The activity of α-amylase, glucoamylase, maltase, trehalase, glycogen phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase was measured in extracts from larval and adult Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rudolphi, 1802), parasitic nematode of marine fish. The content of glycogen and trehalose in the worm's body was also determined. Both the hydrolytic and phosphorolytic paths of sugar decomposition are present in H. aduncum. In the larvae glycogen was utilised mainly via the hydrolytic path. In the adults the activities of phosphorolytic enzymes were higher than in the larvae. In both stages the activity of trehalose phosphorylase is present. In adult nematodes it is uncommonly high. The dominating sugars in the adults were glucose and glycogen, while in the larvae it was trehalose.

The following caryophyllidean tapeworms were found in freshwater fishes from Japan (species reported from Japan for the first time marked with an asterisk): family Caryophyllaeidae: Paracaryophyllaeus gotoi (Motomura, 1927) from Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor); Archigetes sieboldi Leuckart, 1878 from Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck et Schlegel) and Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus Mori (new hosts); family Lytocestidae: *Caryophyllaeides ergensi Scholz, 1990 from Tribolodon hakuensis (Günther), T. ezoe Okada et Ikeda, Hemibarbus barbus (Temminck et Schlegel) and Chaenogobius sp. (new hosts); Khawia japonensis (Yamaguti, 1934) from Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus; K. sinensis Hsü, 1935 from H. barbus (new host) and C. carpio; *K. parva (Zmeev, 1936) from Carassius auratus langsdorfii Valenciennes in Cuvier et Valenciennes and Carassius sp. (new hosts); and *Atractolytocestus sagittatus (Kulakovskaya et Akhmerov, 1962) from C. carpio; family Capingentidae: *Breviscolex orientalis Kulakovskaya, 1962 from H. barbus (new host); and Caryophyllidea gen. sp. (probably Breviscolex orientalis) from C. carpio. The validity of C. ergensi, originally described from Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis from Mongolia, is confirmed on the basis of an evaluation of extensive material from Japan. Atractolytocestus sagittatus (syn. Markevitschia sagittata) is tentatively considered a valid species, differing from the only congener, A. huronensis Anthony, 1958, in its considerably greater number of testes.

Fieldwork was conducted in 1998 and 1999 in the Okavango River and Delta and a total of 275 fishes representing 31 species were examined for the presence of myxosporean parasites. A total of seven myxosporeans of the genus Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 were found infecting the fishes. Two new species namely Myxobolus etsatsaensis sp. n. from Barbus thamalakanensis Fowler, 1935 and M. paludinosus sp. n. from Barbus paludinosus Peters, 1852 are described. Myxobolus africanus Fomena, Bouix et Birgi, 1985, M. camerounensis Fomena, Marqués et Bouix, 1993, M. hydrocyni Kostoïngue et Toguebaye, 1994, M. nyongana (Fomena, Bouix et Birgi, 1985) and M. tilapiae Abolarin, 1974 are recorded for the first time in Botswana and descriptions of these species are provided.

Scanning electron microscopy examinations of trematode specimens belonging to Crepidostomum farionis (O.F. Müller, 1784) and C. metoecus Braun, 1900, collected from brown trout, Salmo trutta fario L., in the Czech Republic, made it possible to study their surface morphology including details not described previously. The tegument of both species bears numerous characteristic papillae around the oral sucker (in C. metoecus also around the ventral sucker) and the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the forebody, exhibiting a high degree of variability in numbers and arrangement, with tegumental bosses forming lateral fields on the forebody and minute sensory receptors with submerged cilia scattered on the surface of the dorsal part of the oral sucker. In addition to marked differences in the size, shape and position of the oral muscular lobes, both species distinctly differ in the number of genital pores: two separate pores in C. farionis and a single pore in C. metoecus.

In a study of the oligochaete fauna and their actinosporean parasites in three lakes in Algonquin Park, Canada, a novel form of raabeia-type actinosporean was observed in a single specimen of Uncinais uncinata (∅ersted) (Naididae). This form differs from those previously described in its small size, and by having caudal processes that gradually widen and terminate with a single prominent branch.

Two new nematodes, Paraseuratoides ophisterni gen. et sp. n. (Seuratoidea: Quimperiidae) and Philometra ophisterni sp. n. (Dracunculoidea: Philometridae) are described based on specimens recovered from the intestine and mesentery, respectively, of the swamp-eel Ophisternon aenigmaticum Rosen et Greenwood (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from a canal of the Papaloapan River in Tlacotalpan, State of Veracruz, Mexico. The genus Paraseuratoides is most similar to Paraseuratum Johnston et Mawson, 1940, differing from it mainly in the absence of a bulbous inflation on the anterior end of the oesophagus and in the structure of the mouth (presence of 6 spines in addition to 6 oesophageal teeth). Neoquimperia Wang, Zhao, Wang et Zhang, 1979 and Wuinema Yu et Wang, 1992 are synonymised with Ezonema Boyce, 1971 and Paragendria Baylis, 1939, respectively, and Haplonema hamulatum Moulton, 1931 is considered a junior synonym of Ichthyobronema conoura Gnedina et Savina, 1930. Philometra ophisterni (only females) is mainly characterised by minute cephalic papillae, a greatly developed anterior oesophageal bulb separated from the cylindrical part of the oesophagus, anterior extension of the oesophageal gland anterior to the nerve ring, and by the character of large caudal projections. This is the first Philometra species recorded from inland fishes in Mexico.

Dendromonocotyle colorni sp. n. (Monogenea: Monocotylidae) is described from the dorsal skin surface of two specimens of Himantura uarnak (Forsskål) kept at the Eilat Underwater Observatory in Israel. Dendromonocotyle colorni is distinguished from the other eight species in the genus by the morphology of the terminal papillar sclerite on the haptor, the distal portion of the male copulatory organ and the morphology of the vagina. The development of the male copulatory organ is detailed for D. colorni and the adaptations of species of Dendromonocotyle to life on the dorsal skin surface of rays are discussed. Dendromonocotyle octodiscus Hargis, 1955 was identified from the dorsal skin surface of the southern stingray Dasyatis americana Hildebrand et Schroeder off Bimini, Bahamas and represents a new host record.

Andrya cuniculi (Blanchard, 1891) (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) is redescribed from Oryctolagus cuniculus (L.) from Spain. Large ranges of variability in body length and width, testes number and position of the cirrus sac were observed. An external seminal vesicle covered with small glandular cells is present. The pattern of development of the uterus is similar to that of Andrya rhopalocephala (Riehm, 1881). The only reliable differential characters to distinguish A. cuniculi from A. rhopalocephala are the position of the uterus in gravid segments and the position of the testes in mature segments. The uterus of A. cuniculi occupies the median field and parts of the lateral fields but is restricted to the median field in A. rhopalocephala. Testes are distributed more symmetrically lateral to the female organs in A. cuniculi but are mostly antiporal in A. rhopalocephala.

A new highly pathogenic muscle-infecting species of the genus Myxobolus Bütschli, 1882 is described from the Prussian carp, Carassius gibelio (Bloch, 1782) using spore morphology and SSU rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses elucidated relationship of the newly described Myxobolus lentisuturalis to other Myxobolus species and supported its position of an independent species.

Physiological parameters were measured after experimental infection of roach (Rutilus rutilus L.) with Rhipidocotyle fennica Gibson, Valtonen et Taskinen, 1992 (Digenea) cercariae. The fish were caught from two lakes: a eutrophic bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME)-contaminated lake and an oligotrophic unpolluted lake. The intensity of infection was followed up to 10 days post infection (p.i.) and physiological parameters indicating non-specific stress responses and the condition of fish were examined simultaneously. The mean abundance, the number of parasites per fish, of R. fennica was significantly higher in the fish from the contaminated water during the first two days p.i., probably reflecting the decreased resistance of these fish to infection. The decrease of leukocrit, as well as the increase of the activity of transaminases (GOT and GPT) in infected fish of both groups are suggestive of pathological processes caused by cercariae penetrating the fish. A significantly lower leukocrit value, as well as higher alkaline phosphatase activity and plasma chloride levels were noted in fish originating from the contaminated lake compared to those from the unpolluted lake. No significant differences were noted in haematocrit, plasma protein and calcium values between the fish from the uncontaminated and contaminated lakes, or between the infected and uninfected control fish.

Secreted anterior adhesives, used for temporary attachment to epithelial surfaces of fishes (skin and gills) by some monogenean (platyhelminth) parasites have been partially characterised. Adhesive is composed of protein. Amino acid composition has been determined for seven monopisthocotylean monogeneans. Six of these belong to the Monocotylidae and one species, Entobdella soleae (van Beneden et Hesse, 1864) Johnston, 1929, is a member of the Capsalidae. Histochemistry shows that the adhesive does not contain polysaccharides, including acid mucins, or lipids. The adhesive before secretion and in its secreted form contains no dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa). Secreted adhesive is highly insoluble, but has a soft consistency and is mechanically removable from glass surfaces. Generally there are high levels of glycine and alanine, low levels of tyrosine and methionine, and histidine is often absent. However, amino acid content varies between species, the biggest differences evident when the monocotylid monogeneans were compared with E. soleae. Monogenean adhesive shows similarity in amino acid profile with adhesives from starfish, limpets and barnacles. However, there are some differences in individual amino acids in the temporary adhesive secretions of, on the one hand, the monogeneans and, on the other hand, the starfish and limpets. These differences may reflect the fact that monogeneans, unlike starfish and barnacles, attach to living tissue (tissue adhesion). A method of extracting unsecreted adhesive was investigated for use in further characterisation studies on monogenean glues.

We report the findings of a longitudinal observational study on HIV-infected patients grouped by presumed transmission group, who had diarrhoea. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with Cryptosporidium infection on these patients. Modified formol-ether concentration followed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen and phenol-auramine/carbol-fuchsin staining techniques were used to identify Cryptosporidium from 465 patients. Cryptosporidiosis was reported in 36/465 (8% and 95% confidence interval 6, 10) patients. Of the positive patients 30 (83%) were men and 6 (17%) women. Prevalence of infection was higher among HIV-seropositive patients whose exposure category was through sexual contact (69%) than among patients in other HIV exposure categories (9%, Standard Z test, P < 0.001). Median CD4+ cell count/mm³ was 120 (range 3-600). Besides diarrhoea, the main clinical manifestations were fever and weight loss in 14 (39%) and 26 (72%) patients, respectively. Cryptosporidium infection was considered to be the first AIDS defining disease in 31% of the patients followed by tuberculosis in 19%, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in 14%, Salmonella sepsis in 6%, isosporiasis in 3%, toxoplasmic encephalitis in 3%, leishmaniasis in 3% and Kaposi's sarcoma in 3% of the patients. There was no significant difference (P = 0.82) in survival times for those given folate antagonists to treat other opportunistic infections. The decrease in prevalence of cryptosporidiosis observed from 1994 until May 1997 is not statistically significant (P = 0.11). Most cases of cryptosporidial infection in AIDS patients in Lisbon occurred in those whose HIV infection was assumed to have been acquired by the sexual route (hetero-, homo- and bisexual), with few cases occurring in drug-abusers.

The developmental stages and life cycle of the nematode Camallanus anabantis Pearse, 1933 an intestinal parasite of Anabas testudineus (Bloch) are described. The copepod Mesocyclops leuckarti (Claus) was used as experimental intermediate host. After being ingested by the copepods the nematode first-stage larvae enter its haemocoel, where they moult twice, 4 d.p.i. and 11 d.p.i., at 21-26°C, respectively to become the infective third-stage larvae. The definitive fish hosts become infected when feeding on copepods harbouring infective larvae. In the fish host's intestine the larvae undergo two more moults, the third on day 15 p.i. The fourth moult of "male" larvae occurred on day 68 p.i. and that of "female" larvae on day 86 p.i. at water temperatures 24-36°C. A female with eggs and few larvae in the uteri was first observed on day 187 p.i.

A new species of Echinobothrium is described from the spiral intestine of the eagle ray Myliobatis goodei Garman, 1885 from the San Matías Gulf, Argentina. Echinobothrium megacanthum sp. n. is distinguished from all others by the following combination of characters: 27 large hooks per apical group, a continuous row of 12 hooklets on each lateral surface of the rostellum, 38-43 spines per row on the cephalic peduncle and 13-15 testes per segment. The new species is most similar to E. euzeti Campbell et Carvajal, 1980, E. mathiasi Euzet, 1951 and E. raschii Campbell et Andrade, 1997. Echinobothrium megacanthum can be differentiated from E. euzeti by the number of spines per row on the cephalic peduncle (100-107 in E. euzeti), number of lateral hooklets (6-7), and number of testes (37-42). It can be distinguished from E. mathiasi by the number of lateral hooklets (4 in E. mathiasi), number of spines per row on the cephalic peduncle (50-60), number of testes (25-30), and from E. raschii by the number of lateral hooklets (27-36 in E. raschii), number of spines per row on the cephalic peduncle (21-26), and number of testes (17-23). Differences in the scolex armature clearly distinguish E. megacanthum from E. pigmentatum Ostrowski de Núñez, 1971, E. acanthocolle Wojciechowska, 1991 and E. notoguidoi Ivanov, 1997, the only species described previously from hosts in the southwestern Atlantic. Echinobothrium pigmentatum differs in possessing 20 large apical hooks, a continuous row of 21-22 lateral hooklets and 9-13 spines on the cephalic peduncle. The scolex armature of E. acanthocolle lacks lateral hooklets, and possesses only 5 spines per row on the cephalic peduncle. Echinobothrium notoguidoi differs in the possession of a wide corona of spines posterior to the rostellum, number of spines per row on the cephalic peduncle (24-26), number of hooklets disposed in lateral groups (13 per group), and number of large apical hooks (31).

An examination of three specimens of the Morelet's crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii Duméril et Bibron, from the Lagoon of Celestún, Yucatan, Mexico revealed the presence of the following eight helminth species: Acanthostomum americanum (Pérez Vigueras, 1956), Pelaezia loossi (Pérez Vigueras, 1956), Telorchis sp. juv., Pseudoneodiplostomum groschafti sp. n. (all trematodes), Dujardinascaris helicina (Molin, 1860), Contracaecum sp. Type 2 larvae, Micropleura sp. and Paratrichosoma recurvum (Solger, 1877) (all nematodes). Pseudoneodiplostomum groschafti sp. n. is established by indication based on the description of specimens from Crocodylus rhombifer from Cuba, given by Groschaft and Baruš (1970). Acanthostomum acuti Caballero et Brennes, 1959 is considered a synonym of A. americanum. A. americanum and D. helicina are recorded for the first time from Mexico and Micropleura sp. is the first American representative of the genus recorded outside South America. Findings of A. americanum, Telorchis sp., P. groschafti, D. helicina and Micropleura sp. in C. moreletii represent new host records. Some observations on the early development of D. helicina are provided. All species, except for P. recurvum, are briefly described and illustrated and some problems concerning their morphology, taxonomy and geographical distribution are discussed.

An experimental infection with the microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen, 1923 was studied using a model of immunocompetent BALB/c mice and immunodeficient SCID mice. The course of infection after intraperitoneal inoculation of E. cuniculi spores was evaluated using the presence of spores in peritoneal macrophages as a criterion. First significant decrease in the proportion of infected cells was recorded on day 9 post infection (p.i.) in BALB/c mice. From day 14 p.i. no spores were observed in macrophages from BALB/c mice, while the number of infected macrophages from SCID mice increased until the death of the mice. The natural killer (NK) cell activity of mouse splenocytes was compared with the production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by these cells. While in BALB/c mice NK activity peaked on days 9 and 14 p.i., in SCID mice the marked increase of NK activity was recorded close before death of mice, on day 21 p.i. in correlation with the production of IFN-γ. Production of specific antibodies was demonstrated from day 9 p.i. in sera from BALB/c mice. It is concluded that intraperitoneal infection of SCID mice with spores of E. cuniculi results in the marked increase in the number of peritoneal exudate cells and in the percentage of infected cells close before death of mice. Neither high activity of NK cells nor increased production of IFN-γ are sufficient for the recovery of SCID mice from an E. cuniculi infection.

Four trypanorhynchs, Kotorella pronosoma (Stossich, 1901), Nybelinia cf. bisulcata (Linton, 1889), Nybelinia scoliodoni (Vijayalakshmi, Vijayalakshmi et Gangadharam, 1996), and Dasyrhynchus pacificus Robinson, 1965 are reported for the first time from the Gulf, which is now known to harbour at least 34 different species. In addition to the range extension for the trypanorhynchs listed above, 21 new host records are reported involving 13 cestode species. Characters of the genus Kotorella Euzet et Radujkovic, 1989 are emended, Nybelinia narinari MacCallum, 1917 is considered a junior synonym of Kotorella pronosoma (Stossich, 1901), and Heteronybelinia palliata (Linton, 1924) comb. n. is redescribed. The usefulness of the bulb ratio as a means to distinguish different tentaculariid species is discussed, and the importance of shallow water localities for the life cycle of trypanorhynch cestodes is emphasised.

Ichthyofilaria argentinensis Incorvaia, 1999 (Nematoda: Philometridae) is redescribed from type specimens and from parasites collected from the swim bladder of Argentine hakes Merluccius hubbsi Marini, 1933 caught at the Gulf of San Jorge (46°30'S, 66°30'W), Argentine Sea, in July, 1998. Sixteen out of 80 hakes (20%) were found to be parasitised by gravid females of this philometrid. After revision of both these nematodes and type material, the following differences from the original description of the species were observed: (a) cuticle with fine transverse striations, instead of smooth cuticle; (b) presence of cephalic papillae and a pair of amphids; (c) absence of swellings in the oesophagus; (d) oesophageal gland appendix very large and lobulate rather than small and vermiform, and (d) presence of vulva and vagina. The morphological features given in the redescription allow the confirmation of the identity of I. argentinensis as a valid species and to distinguish it from other members of the genus.