THE MORPHOLOGY AND LIFE-HISTORY OF THE DIGENETIC TREMATODE, ASYMPHYLODORA AMNICOLAE N. SP.; THE POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE OF PROGENESIS FOR THE PHYLOGENY OF THE DIGENEA

The genus Asymphylodora was erected by Looss (1899) to contain Distoma perlatum von Nordmann, 1832, a parasite from the intestine of Cyprinus tinca, as type species. Rudolphi (1809) had suggested and Looss agreed that the species is identical with Fasciola tincae Modeer, 1790, from the same host. In the genus Asymphylodora, Looss included Distoma exspinosum Hausmann, 1896 from the intestine of Barbus fluviatilus and Distoma imitans Miihling, 1898 from the intestine of Abramis brama. Distoma ferruginosum von Linstow, 1877 from the intestine of Barbus fluviatilus, was considered identical with D. perlatum. Fasciola globiporum Rudolphi, 1802 was listed as Distoma globiporum by Rudolphi (1809) who stated that it included F. tincae and several other inadequately described trematodes. Looss (1894) had given a detailed description of D. perlatum and although he admitted the identity of this species and F. tincae, he did not make the correct taxonomic revision when he erected the genus Asymphylodora. Liihe (1909) made the combination Asymphylodora tincae (Modeer, 1790); he recognized the validity of Distoma ferruginosum, which he included with the three species selected by Looss as members of the genus. Distoma punctatum Zeder, 1800 from the intestine of Cyprinus barbus, was listed as probably identical with Asymphylodora ferruginosum. All of these worms were from the intestine of cyprinid fishes of Europe. Subsequently, members of the genus have been reported from various parts of the world. Isaichikov (1923) described specimens from cyprinid fishes of the Kuban River as Asymphylodora tincae kubanicum, and this form was re-described by Markewitsch (1951). Ozaki (1925) described Asymphylodora macrostoma from several species of fishes in Japan. Ivanitskii (1928) described Asymphylodora dneproviana from fishes in the Ukraine. Witenberg and Eckmann (1934) found worms in Cyprinus carpio in Syria which they identified as A. tincae. After noting the variability manifested by different individuals, they declared that all previously described species were identical and accordingly, all other specific names were reduced to synonymy with A. tincae. Markowski (1935) described Asymphylodora demeli from Gobius minutus, taken in the coastal waters of Poland. He