Heterobothrium lamothei n. sp (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae) from the gills of Sphoeroides testudineus (Pisces: Tetraodontidae) from the coast of Yucatan, Mexico

The presence of a member of the genus Heterobothrium is described for the first time from the coast of Yucatan Peninsula, southeastern Mexico. Heterobothrium lamothei n. sp. is recorded parasitizing the gills of the tetraodontid fish Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus, 1758) from 4 coastal lagoons in Yucatan: Celestun (20 degrees 52' N, 90 degrees 24' W), Chelem (21 degrees 15'N 89 degrees 45'W), Dzilam (21 degrees 35'N 88 degrees 35'W) and Rio Lagartos (21 degrees 22'N 87 degrees 30'W). The new species differs from the other species described in the genus, by a combination of characters including a copulatory organ armed with 12-15 genital hooks, the distal pair of clamps smaller in comparison with the 3 other pairs and by having 15-26 testes. The infection parameters were for Celestun, 47% of prevalence, number of fish examined (n) = 47, mean abundance of 1.76 +/- 9.62, Chelem, 20% (n = 30), 0.53 +/- 8.48; Dzilam, 2% (n = 60), 0.02 +/- 0.00; Rio Lagartos, 25% (n = 59), 0.34 +/- 1.58. Heterobothrium lamothei n. sp. may be considered as potentially dangerous species for the aquaculture of S. testudineus due to its direct life cycle hat high fish densities would increase the transmission of this monogenean.