On a new species of spirurid nematode Rhabdochona (Rhabdochona) annai (Spirurida: Thelazioidea) from freshwater mahseer,tor putitora (Ham.)

A new species of rhabdochona (thelazioidea: rhabdochonidae) is described here as an intestinal parasite of mahseer,tor putitora (ham.) from a river basin at bolan of balochistan province,pakistan. rhabdochona (rhabdochona) annai n. sp. is characterized by a combination of diagnostic features that includes the presence of prostomal teeth,simple (not bifurcated) deirids,and different length ratio between spicules. the combination of these features easily differentiated the new species from all its congeners,including those species possessing 8 teeth in the prostome. the new species appears to be specific to freshwater cyprinids,as the previously twelve species of rhabdochona railliet,1916 that were described from this group of fish,only from balochistan. copyright 2012 zoological society of pakistan.