Herpyllobius paulayi, Salazar-Vallejo, 2024

Herpyllobius paulayi View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–2)

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B497B75A-484D-4215-BDB5-770B679E8141

Typematerial. Ovigerous female, holotype (ECO- CHZ 11819), parasitizing Lamispina horsti (Haswell, 1902) , Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef system, North Black Rock (27°42’11.7”S 113°36’19.02”E), specimen undissected, with two separate egg sacs, mounted in glycerin, sealed with acrylic varnish, slide. Collected 30 May 2010, 27 m water depth in rubble crevices, by C. Bagnato and A. Anker GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis (female). Ectosoma almost spherical, integument pilose. Genital swellings moderately sclerotized, weakly developed. Intergenital surface smooth, lacking medial process or bulging protuberances. Sclerotized dots also absent ( Fig. 2C). Anterior surface of ectosoma with rounded shield-like area ornamented with fan-like pattern. Intersomital stalk short and broad, originating from underside of ectosoma. Endosoma with 2 sections, one proximal discoid broadening into asymmetrical flap-like lateral lobes with irregular edges; medial lobe arises between lateral lobes. Sclerotized ring present at proximal half of endosoma, curved with borders toward distal part of endosoma.Egg sacs thick, cylindrical, almost twice as long as wide, multiseriate, with 10–12 rows of eggs. Male unknown.

Description of holotype. Ectosoma almost spherical, 1.29 times as long as wide, 240 µm long, 186 µm wide, ectosoma integument moderately pilose ( Figs. 1A, C, 2A). Paired genital swellings weakly sclerotized, moderately prominent (gsw in Fig. 2B, C). Genital swellings carrying egg sacs; holotype carrying one complete (0.9 mm long, 0.47 mm wide, ca. 140 eggs) and one broken egg sac (0.66 mm, 48 eggs). Intergenital surface rounded, smooth, lacking medial processes, or protuberances ( Fig. 2C); sclerotized dots absent. Intersomital stalk short, thick, ca. 140 µm in diameter, originating from the underside of the ectosoma close to mid-body ( Fig. 2B). Endosoma 0.85 mm long, comprising a proximal lump structure, arranged horizontally, with 351 μm in length and adjacent medial tongue-like lobe with irregular distal edges ( Fig. 2A, B, D). Proximal endosomal section with oblong, narrow sclerotized ring (see Fig. 2B) proximally (diameter = 195 μm, 28 μm wide). Egg sacs thick, cylindrical, multiseriate, up to 0.85 mm long, 0.48 mm wide ( Fig. 1A), eggs ca. 75 μm in diameter.