Description of Tetracotyle wayanadensis n. sp. (Digenea: Strigeidae) metacercaria infecting six species of freshwater fishes from Western Ghats, India.

Tetracotyle wayanadensis n. sp. (Digenea, Strigeidae) infecting different organs of six species of freshwater fishes, Haludaria fasciata (eye, buccal cavity), Amblypharyngodon melettinus (eye, buccal cavity), Aplochelus lineatus (operculum, heart, mesenteries), Pethia conchonius (brain), Parambassis thomassi (muscles, mesenteries) and Lepidocephalus thermali (mesenteries) collected from water bodies in the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats is described and illustrated. Tetracotyle wayanadensis n. sp. is new to the genus and is separated from its congeners on the basis of differences in morphology and morphometry. The present paper also describes the prevalence, intensity, mean abundance and sites of infection of the parasite in each host. The prevalence of infection of T. wayanadensis n. sp. in Haludaria fasciata is 7.5%, intensity of infection is 2.66 and mean abundance is 0.2; in Amblypharyngodon melettinus 10%, 6 and 0.6; in Aplochelus lineatus 12.2%, 6.2 and 0.76; in Pethia conchonius 7.14%, 5 and 0.36; in Parambassis thomassi 100%, 2 and 2; in Lepidocephalus thermali 10%, 2 and 0.2 respectively.