Oxyuroids of palearctic Testudinidae--new definition for Alaeuris Seurat, 1918 (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) and redescription of Alaeuris numidica (Seurat, 1918).

The generic diagnosis of Alaeuris is emended based on the study and redescription of Alaeuris numidica from the cecum of Testudo graeca collected in Settat, Morocco and of Testudo hermanni collected in Catalonia, Spain. Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that the papillae previously described as adanal are simple lobes because of the lack of terminal nerves, and that both preanal and postanal papillae are pedunculate. These new findings allowed us to emend the diagnosis of the genus and the species. A list of species of Alaeuris with biogeographic regions and hosts is provided.