A revision of Patagifer Dietz, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) and a key to its species.

Patagifer Dietz, 1909 is revised and a key to the species is presented. P. oweni n. sp. is described from Threskiornis molucca (Cuvier) in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea and distinguished from the related P. chandrapuri Srivastava, 1952 by: the shape of the pair of large angle spines (cudgel-shaped vs sub-rectangular); pointed (vs rod-shaped) marginal spines; a smaller body and internal organs; more anteriorly located testes; and larger eggs. The new species differs from P. brygooi Richard, 1964 in its larger body, head collar, suckers, pharynx and eggs, longer oesophagus and testes, the latter being also more elongate and more anteriorly located, and a different number of collar spines (61-62 vs 59). P. bilobus (Rudolphi, 1819) (the type-species), P. parvispinosus Yamaguti, 1933, P. chandrapuri and P. vioscai Lumsden, 1962 are redescribed on the basis of museum and newly collected material. The variations in the number and size of the collar spines and other metrical characters of P. bilobus are studied in two different host species from Europe, Plegadis falcinellus and Platalea leucorodia. Other species considered valid are: Patagifer consimilis Dietz, 1909, P. acuminatus Johnston, 1917, P. fraternus Johnston, 1917, P. wesleyi Verma, 1936, P. brygooi and P. toki Onda, Imai & Ishii, 1983. P. plegadisi Sakla, Monib & Mandour, 1988 and P. simarai Nigam, 1944 are considered synonyms of P. bilobus, and P. sarai Saksena, 1957 is placed in synonymy with P. chandrapuri. Forms considered dubious are: P. bilobus of Machida et al. (Jpn J Parasitol 15:339, 1966) and Machida (Bull Natl Sci Mus Tokyo 11:157-160, 1968), P. simerai [sic] of Mehra (The fauna of India and adjacent countries. Platyhelminthes, 1980), P. skrjabini Hilmy, 1949 sp. inq. and P. srivastavai Peter, 1954 sp. inq. Lists of the records and hosts of the 11 valid species are included.