Systematic Status of New Species of Diplotriaena murtazi n. sp. (Nematode: Filariidae) from Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Linnaeus, 1766 (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) in District Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

Bakhtawar Soomro* and Shakeel Ahmed Memon

Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan

Received | March 01, 2023; Accepted | June 08, 2023; Published | November 20, 2023

*Correspondence | Bakhtawar Soomro, Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan; Email: bakhtawarsoomro145@gmail.com

Citation | Soomro, B. and S.A. Memon. 2023. Systematic status of new species of Diplotriaena murtazi n. sp. (Nematode: Filariidae) from common myna (Acridotheres tristis) Linnaeus, 1766 (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) in district Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Nematology, 41(2): 165-169.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjn/2023/41.2.165.169

Keywords | Avian nematode, Diplotriaena murtazi n.sp., Common myna (Acridotheres tristis), District Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

Copyright: 2023 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction

Common myna commonly they are called as crested myna, house myna and Indian myna. They are very bold, active and popular bird of Asia. Its upper part contain very prominent brownish-chestnut, glossy black head, brownish to black upper-wing and white-tipped black tail. It has bare skin around the eyes. Their bill and legs are bright yellow and short crown formed by the bristly feathers (Grewal et al., 2003). Contrasting white patches are found during the flight time. Common mynas have strong feet that allow its walk on the ground rather than hop. Straight beak helps in choice of food (Perrins, 2009). Economically, it has very important role in agricultural areas, where they assist in decreasing population of insects therefore, sometimes considered as farmer’s friend due to that they are more prone to the infection of parasites (Ponnundurai et al., 2009; Singh, 2014; Borji and Razamyar, 2011). They are also called as predator due to their dual nature of animal as well as plants (Khadim et al., 2013; Simberloff, 2014). They often feed on some species of annelids, sugary liquid of some flowers and tree of fig. Cutworms (Spodoptera mauritia) controlled by the common myna in Hawaiian Islands. They take part in pollination as well as dispersal of seeds. During the year 1883, common mynas were introduced in the cane field of Australia where they reduce the insect pests including cane beetles and plague locusts. This article reflects the new species in the platform of taxonomy.

Materials and Methods

During the present studies a total of 100 common mynas (Acridotheres tristis) Linnaeus, 1766 were collected from different localities of Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan and brought to the Parasitological Laboratory, Department of Zoology. After anesthetizing, birds were autopsied and examined for the helminths parasites. During examination 20 (♂♂) specimens were obtained from the body cavity of the hosts belonging to the genus Diplotriaena (Railliet and Henry, 1909). Live specimens were killed in hot 70% ethanol, cleared in lacto phenol and glycerol solution and preserved in alcohol-glycerol solution. Diagrams were made with the help of camera Lucida (Garcia and Ash, 1979). Photographs were taken with the help of camera DP12. Measurements were given in millimeters (Table 1). Specimens were deposited in the Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

Results and Discussion

Taxonomic status

Family: Diplotriaenidae (Skrjabin, 1916)

Genus: Diplotriaena (Railliet and Henry, 1909)

Species: D. murtazi n. sp.

Material observed

Host: Acridotheres tristis

No. of specimens recovered: 20

No. of hosts found positive: 05

Parasitic habitat: Body cavity

Locality: District Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

Etymology

The new species is dedicated to author’s Father, Advocate Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Soomro.

Description

Body of the worm highly muscular, thick, and elongated and the length and thickness measured 14.05 mm in length by 0.27 mm wide. Anterio-posteriorly rounded. The two tridents are overlapping to each other bearing rounded tips, having unequal prongs, located anteriorly and the length and thickness measured 0.14-0.04 mm in length by 0.14-0.07 mm wide. Caudal papillae 13-14 in pairs. Left spicule smaller than that of right spicule and measured 1.97 mm long respectively (Figures 1, 2).

 

Table 1: Comparative characteristic of various species of genus diplotriaena Railliet and Henry, 1909 collected from different avian hosts (Measurements in mm).

S.#	Parameters	Present species (♂♂)	D. niltavae Deysarkar and Sen, 2008	D. tristisi Deysarkar and Sen, 2008	D. bargusinica Soota and Chaturvedi, 1972	D. almoraensis Deysarkar and Sen, 2008
1.	Body length and width	14.05 x 0.27	24.0-24.4 x 0.496-0.512	32.94 x 0.455	31-46.4 x 0.72-0.77	39.2 x 0.32
2.	Tridents length and width	0.14 x 0.14	0.128-0.144	0.13	0.13-0.14	0.16
3.	No. of caudal papillae	13-14	ND*	9	1	5
4.	Length and width left spicule	1.97	0.656-0.720	2.39	0.64-0.66	0.84-1.07
5.	Length and width right spicule	0.25	0.46-0.49	0.58	0.38-0.5	0.44-0.56
6.	Host	Acridotheres tristis	Niltava grandis	Acridotheres tristis	Turdus roficollis	Parus major
7.	Parasitic habitat	Body cavity	Body cavity	Body cavity	Body cavity	Body cavity
8.	Locality	Larkana	Uttarakhand	Burdwan	Bhutan	Uttarakhand

 

*ND= Non detectable.

 

 

Majority of the species of genus Diplotriaena (Railliet and Henry, 1909) have been reported worldwide: (Majumdar and Chakravarty, 1963) recorded three species which includes: D. sternopastori in Sturnus contra; D. tristisi in Acridotheres tristi and D. molpastisi in Acridotheres ginginianus of Burden. Deysarkar and Sen (2008) recorded four species which includes: D. champawatensis in Myiophoneus caeruleus temmincki, D. niltavae in Niltava grandis, D. almoraensis in Parus major and D. zootherae in Zoothra citrine citrine of Uttarakhand of India. Soota and Chaturvedi (1972) recorded D. bargusinica in Turdus ruficollis of Bhutan; Baylis (1939) recorded six species including: D. nagpurensis in Acridotheres tristis; D. tricuspis in Acridotheres tristis of Nagpur; D. bhamoensis in Acridotheres tristis of Burma, D. graculi in Pyrrhocorax; D. dubia in Pyrrhocorax and D. urocissae in Urocissa flavirostris of Calcuta. D. lagopusi and D. andersoni Wilford and Braun (1971) recorded in Lagopus leucurus of Central and Northern Colorado. D. thomasi Seibert (1944) recorded in Zonotrichia albicollis lllinois of U.S.A. D. utae Wong et al. (1983) recorded in Perisoreus canadensis in Canada. Few species of the genus Diplotriaena Railliet and Henry (1909) have been reported in Pakistan which includes: D. streptopelia of Bilqees and Jehan (1977) recorded in Streptopelia senegalensis of Pakistan. D. passeri Chandio et al. (2015) recorded in Passer domesticus and Passer Pyrrhonotus of Pakistan.

D. sternopastori Majumdar and Chakravorty (1963) recorded in Sturnus contra of Burden which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; length of the trident is larger; length of the left spicule is larger while the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. tristisi Majumdar and Chakravorty (1963) recorded in Acridotheres tristis of Burden which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; length of the trident is smaller; length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. molpastisi Majumdar and Chakravorty (1963) recorded in Acridotheres ginginianus of Burden which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length; tridents larger; left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. champawatensis Deysarkar and Sen (2008) recorded in Myiophoneus caeruleus temmincki of India which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; prongs of the tridents are equal and length of the trident is larger; the length of the left spicule is larger while the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. zootherae Deysarkar and Sen (2008) recorded in Zoothra citrine citrine of Uttarakhand which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; prongs of the tridents are equal and length of the tridents are larger; the length of the left spicule is larger and the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. niltavae Deysarkar and Sen (2008) recorded in Niltava grandis grandis of Uttarakhand, India which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; tridents contain equal prongs and the length of the tridents are smaller; the length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. almoraensis Deysarkar and Sen (2008) recorded in Parus major of Uttarakhand which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; tridents contain equal prongs and the length of the tridents are larger; the length of left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. bargusinica Soota and Chaturvedi (1972) recorded in Turdus ruficollis of Bhutan which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body width; length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. tricuspis Baylis (1939) recorded in Acridotheres tristis of Nagpur which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; length of the tridents are smaller; both spicules are unequal; caudal papillae is nine to eleven.

D. bhamoensis Baylis (1939) recorded in Ethiopsar albocinclus of Burma which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth, both spicules are unequal.

D. graculi Baylis (1939) recorded in Pyrrhocorax of Calcutta which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; tridents are large; both spicules are unequal.

D. dubia Baylis (1939) recorded in Pyrrhocorax of Calcutta which differs from D. murtazi in having smaller body length and minimum body breadth; length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. urocissae Baylis (1939) recorded in Urocissa flavirostris of Calcuta which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. nagpurensis Baylis (1939) recorded in Acridotheres tristis of Nagpur which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; tridents are large; both spicules are unequal.

D. lagopusi Wilford and Braun (1971) recorded in Lagopus leucurus of Central and Northern Colorado which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth; tridents are larger; both spicules are larger.

D. andersoni Wilford and Braun (1971) recorded in Leucurus leucurus Richardson of Canada which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and length of the left spicule is larger.

D. thomasi Seibert (1944) recorded in Zonotrichia albicollis lllinois of U.S.A. which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length; length of the tridents are smaller; length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. utae Wong et al. (1983) recorded in Perisoreus canadensis of Canada which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length and maximum body breadth, both spicules are unequal.

D. streptopelia Bilqees and Jehan (1977) recorded in Streptopelia senegalensis of Pakistan which differs from D. murtazi in having larger body length; length of the left spicule is larger whereas the length of the right spicule is smaller.

D. passeri Chandio et al. (2015) recorded in Passer domesticus and Passer pyrrhonotus of Pakistan which differs from D. murtazi in having smaller body length and minimum body breadth; both spicules are unequal.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Present recorded species reflect variations from their congeners with reference to the following characters via: body measurement; morphological shape; shape of the tridents, shape of the spicule and 13-14 numbers of caudal papillae. On the basis of such morpho-metrical changes this species D. murtaziis treated as new species in the kingdom of science and taxonomy.

Acknowledgement

I would like to extend my gratitude to the University of Sindh for providing me with all the facility that was required.

Novelty Statement

(Diplotriaena murtazi) it is new species in the domain of Taxonomy. Authoress dedicated this species in the honor of her father (Advocate Mr Ghulam Murtaza Soomro).

Author’s Contribution

Shakeel Ahmed Memon: Collected data.

Bakhtawar Soomro: Collected data and wrote the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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