''Rasheedia heptacanthi'' is a parasitic

nematode The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-Parasitism, parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhab ...

in the genus ''

Rasheedia ''Rasheedia'' is a genus of nematodes in the order Spirurida. The nematode genus ''Bulbocephalus'' Rasheed, 1966 was found to be a homonym of ''Bulbocephalus'' Watson, 1916 (Apicomplexa, Stylocephalidae) and, therefore, a new name, ''Rasheedia' ...

''. The species is an intestinal parasite of the Cinnabar goatfish '' Parupeneus heptacanthus'' ( Mullidae) and '' Dentex fourmanoiri'' (

Sparidae The Sparidae are a family of fish in the order Perciformes, commonly called sea breams and porgies. The sheepshead, scup, and red seabream are species in this family. Most sparids are deep-bodied compressed fish with a small mouth separated by a ...

) off

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. The two species ''Rasheedia heptacanthi'' and '' Rasheedia novaecaledoniensis'', which both occur in New Caledonian waters, are mainly differentiated by the number of anterior protrusible oesophageal lobes (two in ''R. heptacanthi'' and four in ''R. novaecaledoniensis''), structure of the

oesophagus The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to the ...

and the lengths of their

spicules Spicules are any of various small needle-like anatomical structures occurring in organisms Spicule may also refer to: *Spicule (sponge), small skeletal elements of sea sponges *Spicule (nematode), reproductive structures found in male nematodes ( ...

Gallery: scanning electron microscopy of ''Rasheedia heptacanthi''

Parasite180070-fig3 Rasheedia heptacanthi (Nematoda, Physalopteridae).png, Head Parasite180070-fig4 Rasheedia heptacanthi (Nematoda, Physalopteridae).png, Tail Parasite180070-fig5 Rasheedia heptacanthi (Nematoda, Physalopteridae).png, Various details

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q56012148 Spirurida Nematodes described in 2018 Parasitic nematodes of fish Fauna of New Caledonia