Acta Parasitologica, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2007, 142–145. DOI: 10.2478/s11686-007-0017-0 Charles R. Bursey1*, Stephen R. Goldberg2 and Fred Kraus3 –
A new species of Falcaustra (Nematoda, Kathlaniidae) and other nematodes from Sphenomorphus simus (Squamata, Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea
1Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus, Sharon, Pennsylvania 16146; 2Department of Biology, Whittier College, Whittier, California 90608; 3Department of Natural Sciences, Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817; USA
*Corresponding author: cxb13@psu.edu
ABSTRACT
Falcaustra papuensis sp. nov. (Ascaridida, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Sphenomorphus simus (Squamata,
Scincidae) is described and illustrated. Falcaustra papuensis represents the 4th Australo-Papuan species assigned to this genus
and is distinguished from other Australo-Papuan species by the distribution pattern of caudal papillae (6 precloacal, 6 adcloacal,
8 postcloacal, and 1 median), length of spicules (561–714 μm) and presence of a pseudosucker. Sphenomorphus simus was
found to harbor 2 additional species of nematodes, Meteterakis crombiei and Oswaldocruzia bakeri. Sphenomorphus simus represents
a new host record for each of these nematode species.
KEY WORDS: Sphenomorphus simus, Squamata, Falcaustra papuensis sp. nov., Nematoda, Papua New Guinea