Meristocotyle provitellaria sp. nov. (Digenea: Meristocotylidae) from Varanus salvator in China
Wei Liu, Qing-Kui Li, Hsiu-Hui Shih and Zhao-Zhi Qiu (2002) Meristocotyle provitellaria sp. nov., from the lungs and gastrointestinal track of Varanus salvator from Guangxi Province, China, is described. Compared with M. varani, the only other species in the family Meristocotylidae, the new species is smaller; its vitelline follicles are distributed only preacetabularly; its testes are diagonal; and its ovary and Mehlis's gland are in a more posterior position. Accordingly, diagnoses of the family Meristocotylidae and the genus Meristocotyle are revised.
Keywords
New species, Meristocotyle, Meristocotylidae, Digenetic trematode, Monitor.
