Review of Anoplocephaloides species from African rodents, with the proposal of Afrobaeria n. g. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae)

The anoplocephalid cestodes from African rodents previously assigned to Anoplocephaloides Baer, 1924 sensu Rausch (1976) represent a new genus. Afrobaeria n. g. differs from related genera in the morphology of the anterior strobila and scolex (neck absent), distribution of testes (dorsal), structure and position of the early uterus (tubular with lateral protuberances, positioned in the middle of the medulla, antero-posteriorly and dorso-ventrally) and alternation of the genital pores (irregularly and very frequently alternating). Two species of Afrobaeria are recognized, i.e. Af. acanthocirrosa (Baer, 1924) n. comb. (type species) and Af. isomydis (Setti, 1892) n. comb. It is shown that they can be differentiated from one another primarily by the structure of the cirrus sac and seminal receptacle. Afrobaeria acanthocirrosa parasitizes rodents of the genus Otomys (type host O. irroratus), and Af. isomydis has been found from Arvicanthis abyssinicus (type host), Oenomys hypoxanthus and, possibly, from Otomys spp. The systematic characters used for the classification of Anoplocephaloides sensu Rausch (1976) are discussed, and a redescription of Af. acanthocirrosa is provided.