Blood flukes (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) of elopomorphs: emendation of Paracardicoloides, supplemental observations of Paracardicoloides yamagutii, and a new genus and species from ladyfish, Elops saurus, (Elopiformes: Elopidae) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Monotypic Paracardicoloides Martin, 1974 is emended based on supplemental observations of 2 voucher specimens of Paracardicoloides yamagutii Martin, 1974 . Features of the anterior sucker, esophagus, and intestine as well as the male and female genitalia previously attributed to, or omitted from the diagnosis and description of, this fluke are resolved and further detailed herein. The holotype of P. yamagutii, originally deposited in the Allan Hancock Parasitology Collection, apparently has been lost, and Queensland Museum voucher G222650 is designated as the neotype. Elopicola nolancribbi n. gen., n. sp. infects the ladyfish, Elops saurus , (Elopiformes: Elopidae) in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. The new genus resembles Paracardicoloides by having the combination of a bowl-shaped anterior sucker, inverse U-shaped intestine, short posterior ceca, post-cecal ovary, pre-ovarian ootype, compact uterus, and prominent excretory arms and vesicle. It differs from Paracardicoloides by lacking robust tegumental body spines and by having a single testis, post-testicular ovary, and primarily post-testicular uterus. The present study is the first confirmed report of an aporocotylid infecting a member of Elopiformes as well as the first report of an infection in an elopomorph outside of Australia and New Zealand or in marine waters.