PREVALENCE, MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMICAL STUDY OF AN ACANTHOCEPHALAN PARASITE Serrasentis synagrisi sp. nov. FROM MARINE FISH Synagris japonicus (DAY) NEW TO ANIMAL WORLD

The genus Serrasentis is one of important acanthocephalan parasites, parasitizing fish, birds and other vertebrates. Twenty males and twenty two females out of 144 examined fish specimens were found to be infected with adult parasite which were collected from intestine of Synagris japonicus a marine water fish from Ernakulum. The light and SEM study revealed that the adult worm have elongated and cylindrical body, anterior extremity with hooks forming combs arranged on the ventral and lateral region, longitudinally curved, the proboscis armed with 16 longitudinal rows of 8-11 hooks per row in males and 17-19 longitudinal rows with 12-13 hooks per row in females. A collar of spines present immediately behind neck, anterior trunk region with 7 circles each with 12 spines per circle in males and 9 circles each with 14-16 spines per circle in females. Elongated trunk with 23 ventral transverse rows of 22-23 spines per row at the anterior end and decreases to 8 spines in posterior row in males and 15-19 rows having 16-20 spines reducing to 6 spines in last row in females. These spines are fused in the form of pseudosegmental cuticular combs extending upto ¾ of the body. The present finding species are compared morphologically with previously recorded species isolated from different host, which revealed that present species is new to Science.