Paramonostomum bubaki n. sp. (Digenea: Notocotylidae) from the Black Coot, Fulica atra (Gruiformes: Rallidae), in South Central Pakistan

During a helminthological survey of black coot, Fulica atra (Gruiformes: Rallidae), in Sindh Province of Pakistan, eight specimens of undescribed species of trematode belonging to genus Paramonostomum Lühe, 1909 were recovered from large intestine of the single host bird. Paramonostomum bubaki n. sp. differs from its congeners except P. macrovesiculumDharejo et al., 2006 by having less attenuated anterior end, a pharynx, a bifurcal genital pore, a longer posttesticular space, a Y-shaped excretory vesicle, number of uterine loops (16), and large size of filamentous eggs. P. bubaki n. sp. resembles P. macrovesiculum Dharejo et al., 2006 collected from Fulica atra from Pakistan by having a pharynx but differs in larger body, smaller esophagus, a bifurcal genital pore, shape of cirrus sac, seminal vesicle and gonads, ceca reaching posterior extremity, and a longer posttesticular space.


Introduction
Pakistan exhibits a certain cohesion of physical geography and climate which has a great bearing upon the distribution and habits of its bird fauna.Pakistan gets a large number of migrant birds from Europe and Central Asian countries every year.Birds from the North spend winters in different wetlands and have also been found living in the manmade ponds in Pakistan [1].These habitats provide favorable environment for breeding as well as the development of populations of snails, crustaceans, and insect fauna, which enhances likelihood of acquiring parasitic infection [2].Reports of Paramonostomum species in Pakistan are limited to those of Dharejo et al. [2] and Bhutta and Khan [3].Other trematodes reported from Fulica atra in Pakistan are Cotylurus sindhense Birmani et al., 2009 [4], Echinostoma atrae Birmani et al., 2008 [5], and Paramonostomum macrovesiculum Dharejo et al., 2006 [2].Snail species Thiara riquetti, Hydrobia vulva, Hydrobia ventrosa, Hydrobia salsa, and Peringia ulvae have been reported to be an intermediate hosts in life cycle of Paramonostomum species [6].Fulica atra, a migratory game bird, is a popular food item in Sindh Province.Therefore, the interest was developed to investigate this bird for the presence of helminth parasites.

Materials and Methods
Live one hundred and one black coot, Fulica atra Linnaeus (Gruiformes: Rallidae), collected from different water bodies of Sindh Province, Pakistan, during winter season (2007-2010) were examined for endohelminths.Trematodes were put into 0.9% saline, relaxed in hot water, fixed under slight cover glass pressure in alcohol-formalin-acetic acid (AFA), stained with borax carmine, dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol solutions, then cleared in clove oil and xylol, and mounted in Canada balsam.Illustrations were made with aid of camera lucida.All measurements are given in micrometer (m) unless otherwise stated, as holotype is followed by range in parenthesis.Specimens were identified and compared with the literature available.
Paramonostomum species reported from Fulica atra outside of Pakistan include Paramonostomum sp.Foronda et al., 2003 [9] and P. fulicai Baugh, 1958 [10].Paramonostomum sp.Foronda et al., 2003 [9] differ from Paramonostomum bubaki in having a smaller body, pharynx absent, short esophagus, termination of ceca at posterior level of testes, postbifurcal genital pore, vitellaria extended up to posterior level of testes, and posterior half of uterus without coils; P. fulicai Tanveer and Chishti, 2001 [10], reported by Tanveer and Chishti, 2001 [10] from Fulica atra differs in shape and size of body, absence of pharynx, short esophagus, postbifurcal genital pore, cirrus sac and metraterm of almost same size, shape of the ovary, and seminal receptacle and has more elongated testes (Table 1).
Other Paramonostomum species: P. pseudalveatum Price, 1931 reported by Drago et al., 2007 [11] from Anas georgica differs in having a smaller ovoid body, pharynx absent, shape of testes, ovary irregularly outlined and located at posterior level of testes, very short posttesticular space, vitelline glands reaching up to cirrus sac anteriorly, 4-7 uterine loops, and smaller eggs.
P. galli Tanveer and Chishti, 2001 [10] from Gallus gallus domesticus differs in shape and has a larger body, pharynx absent, larger cirrus sac, ceca terminate before posterior margins of testes, more elongated deeply lobed testes, lobed ovary notched posteriorly, and smaller eggs.
P. kherai Gupta and Singh, 1985 [12] from Casarca ferruginea and Dafila acuta differs in smooth and larger body, pharynx absent, genital pore at posterior half of oral sucker, elongated deeply lobed testes and ovary, termination of ceca at posterior level of testes, uterine loops 20-23, and smaller eggs.
P. makundi Gupta and Singh, 1985 [12] from Anser indicus differs in smooth and wider body, pharynx absent, genital pore at posterior border of oral sucker, pear-shaped cirrus sac, presence of cecal diverticulae, termination of ceca before posterior level of testes, larger and deeply lobed testes, ovary lobed and bifid posteriorly, uterine loops 16-19, and smaller eggs.
P. salimi Gupta and Singh, 1985 [12] from Anas poecilorhyncha and Anas platyrhyncha differs in smooth and wider body, pharynx absent, genital pore immediately behind oral sucker, pear-shaped cirrus sac with wavy margins, ceca with diverticulae terminate before posterior level of testes, deeply lobed testes and ovary, uterine loops 17-23, and smaller eggs.
P. antarcticum Graefe, 1968 reported by Odening, 1982 [13] from Larus dominicanus differs in having an oval body, pharynx absent, ceca with diverticulae, smaller cirrus sac, genital pore at posterior border of oral sucker, much lobed testes and ovary, and ovary extended beyond caudal margins of testes.
P. indica Gupta and Gupta, 1976 [15] from Anser indicus differs in having smooth and larger body, absence of pharynx and seminal receptacle, genital pore behind oral sucker, metraterm longer than cirrus sac, lobed testes and ovary, and testes very close to posterior extremity.Gupta and Gupta, 1976 [15] from Anas poecilorhyncha differs in having smooth and larger body, absence of pharynx and seminal receptacle, genital pore just behind oral sucker, metraterm longer than cirrus sac, testes large very close to posterior extremity, lobed ovary, uterine loops 17-18, and smaller eggs.

P. poecilorhynchai
P. thapari Gupta and Gupta, 1976 [15] from Nettapus coromandelianus and Anser indicus differs in having smooth and smaller body, absence of pharynx and seminal receptacle, esophagus short, genital pore immediately behind oral sucker, metraterm longer than cirrus sac, more elongated posteriorly tapering testes, uterine loops 17-19, and smaller eggs.
P. philippinensis Velasquez, 1969 [16] from chicks and ducks differs in having a smaller body, pharynx absent, prebifurcal genital pore, more elongated lobed testes, intestinal ceca terminate at posterior margins of testes, number of uterine loops 10-12, and smaller eggs.
P. signiensis Jones and Williams, 1969 [17] from Chionis alba differs in having spinose body, pharynx absent, short esophagus, genital pore immediately behind oral sucker, ceca with diverticulae, smaller cirrus sac, metraterm and cirrus sac of equal length, ovary elongated and posteriorly notched, seminal receptacle with conspicuous transverse loops in forward course of uterus, excretory bladder very broad, and uterine loops 13-14.
P. brantae Bullock 1952 [20] from Branta canadensis differs in having a smaller and oval body, pharynx absent, postbifurcal genital pore, twisted cirrus sac, broad and oval testes touching posterior extremity of body, and uterine loops 8-11.
P. casarcum Lal, 1936 [8] from Casarca rutila differs in having a larger body, pharynx absent, genital pore at rear edge of oral sucker, very lobed and branched testes, elongated and lobed ovary, cylindrical ceca terminate before posterior margins of testes, and short posttesticular space.
P. parvum Stunkard and Dunihue, 1931 [22] from Anas platyrhynchos domestica differs in having smaller oval body, pharynx absent, smaller and curved cirrus sac, short metraterm, much lobed ovary located at posterior level of testes, vitellaria reaching up to level of seminal vesicle anteriorly, ceca that terminate at caudal margins of ovary, and larger eggs.
The name of new species refers to Bubak City where Manchhar Lake is located and from where the host birds were collected.
open at ootype.Uterine loops compact 16 in number mostly intercecal, partly overlapping ceca extending up to posterior end of cirrus sac.Eggs with long polar filaments, 190-210 long.Eggs exclusive of polar filaments 15-19 long by 9-11 wide.Vitellaria follicular, extending from middle of body reaching up to anterior margin of testes.Excretory vesicle Yshaped.Taxonomic Summary Type Host: black coot, Fulica atra (Gruiformes: Rallidae).Type locality: manchar Lake (26 ∘ 24  N, 67 ∘ 38  E), Bubak City, Sindh Province, Pakistan Site of infection: large intestine Type specimens: a specimen is to be deposited in Natural History Museum London.Prevalence: 0.99% Etymology: specific name refers to locality of host.