Redescription of Ptychobothrium belones (Dujardin, 1845) (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidea) from needlefishes (Beloniformes: Belonidae) in the Mediterranean Sea.

The bothriocephalidean tapeworm Ptychobothrium belones (Dujardin, 1845) Lönnberg, 1889 is redescribed on the basis of new materials collected from the intestine of the Mediterranean needlefish Tylosurus imperialis (Rafinesque) (Beloniformes: Belonidae) off Tunisia in the central Mediterranean Sea. This species is characterised by a laterally compressed hexagonal to fan-shaped scolex with an apical disc and two well-developed bothria, an oval ovary and numerous testes arranged in lateral and median fields. The typical diagnostic feature of P.

Axinoides euzeti n. sp. (Monogenea: Axinidae) from the gills of the needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque) (Belonidae) off Tunisia, with an updated list of hosts and localities for Axinoides spp.

A new axinid monogenean species, Axinoides euzeti n. sp. from the gills of the Mediterranean needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque) off the Tunisian coast is described.

First detailed data on metazoan parasites of the rare species short beaked garfish Belone svetovidovi (Teleostei: Belonidae) from Tunisian coast, Central Mediterranean Sea.

Forty five specimens of the short beaked garfish Belone svetovidovi, a rare belonid species largely confused with the garfish Belone belone from Tunisian coast Sea were examined for metazoan parasite. Nine metazoan parasites species were identified: one monogenean (Axine sp.), 4 digeneans (Lecithostaphylus retroflexus, Tergestia acanthocephala, Aponurus laguncula and Condylocotyla pilodora metacercaria), one copepod (Bomolochus bellones), one isopod (Irona nana), one acanthocephalan (Telosentis exiguus) and one nematod Hysterotylacium sp.

Sclerodistomoides pacificus Kamegai, 1971 (Sclerodistomoididae Gibson & Bray, 1979) and Tetrochetus coryphaenae Yamaguti, 1934 (Accacoeliidae Odhner, 1911), two rarely reported digeneans from Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque) (Belonidae), and a list of helminth parasites of Tylosurus acus (Lacépède).

Two rarely reported digenean parasites are redescribed: Sclerodistomoides pacificus Kamegai, 1971 (Sclerodistomoididae Gibson & Bray, 1979) from the gall bladder and Tetrochetus coryphaenae Yamaguti, 1934 (Accacoeliidae Odhner, 1911) from the digestive tract of the Mediterranean needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque) off Tunisia. Sclerodistomoides pacificus and T. coryphaenae represent new host and geographical records for T.

Lecithostaphylus tylosuri sp. nov. (Digenea, Zoogonidae) from the digestive tract of the needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Teleostei, Belonidae).

Lecithostaphylus tylosuri sp. nov. (Digenea, Zoogonidae) specimen were collected from the digestive tract of Tylosurus acus imperialis (Teleostei, Belonidae) caught off the eastern coast of Tunisia.

Nudaciraxine imperium sp. n. (Monogenea: Axinidae) from the gills of Mediterranean needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Teleostei: Belonidae).

Nudaciraxine imperium sp. n. (Monogenea: Axinidae) is described from the gills of the needlefish Tylosurus acus imperialis (Rafinesque) caught in the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia.