ZEYLANUROTREMA-SPEAREI SP-N (DIGENEA, BRACHYLAIMIDAE) FROM THE CANE TOAD, BUFO-MARINUS, IN AUSTRALIA

Zeylanurotrema spearei sp.n. is described from the urinary bladder of the introduced cane toad, Bufo marinus, from North Queensland, Australia. The other species in Zeylanurotrema, Z. lyriocephali, has been recorded only from an agamid lizard from Sri Lanka. The new species has differently arranged gut caeca, vitelline follicles and ovary as compared with Z. lyriocephali. Z. spearei has a Laurer's canal that does not open to the exterior but which forms a glandular Juel's organ. We suggest that Z. spearei is an Australian species that has been acquired by the cane toad from a native host. In juvenile specimens of Z. spearei a persistent microcercous tail is present. From this and the anatomy of the adult we conclude that Zeylanurotrema is a brachylaimid rather than a urotrematid as originally proposed. A new subfamily, the Zeylanurotrematinae, is proposed to accommodate Zeylanurotrema.