Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Bulbultaenia Beveridge, 1994 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) Parasitic in Palaeotropical Birds of the Family Pycnonotidae (Passeriformes).

PURPOSE: Until now, Bulbultaenia has been considered a monotypic genus. Its type species B. calcaruterina (Burt, 1939) was described from the red-vented bulbul Pycnonotus cafer haemorrhousus (Pycnonotidae) in Sri Lanka and later recorded from three host species in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. The purpose of the present study is to revise the data on the species composition and geographical distribution of the genus Bulbultaenia.

METHODS: Specimens deposited in museum collections were re-examined, and an additional specimen from Gabon was stained with iron acetocarmine and mounted in Canada balsam. All specimens were examined using conventional light microscopy and interference-contrast microscopy.

RESULTS: The redescription of the holotype of B. calcaruterina added several morphological details. Specimens collected in Africa from the dark-capped bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor (type-host) from Gabon (type-locality), and from the common bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus and the little greenbul Eurillas virens from Côte d'Ivoire, are described as Bulbultaenia mariauxi sp. n. Specimens from E. latirostris are reported as Bulbultaenia sp. because the small number of specimens did not allow us to determine whether they represent a distinct taxon.

CONCLUSION: This study has shown that Bulbultaenia is not a monotypic genus. The origin of the African species of Bulbultaenia is probably associated with the divergence of South Asian and African Pycnonotus spp., estimated to have occurred approximately 2.3 million years ago.