Morphometric discriminant analysis for the classification of Diplectanum (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea), parasites of Sphyraena flavicauda

The authors have examined the morphology of Diplectanum cazauxi and Diplectanum bauchotae through the observation of 23 specimens (10 of D. cazauxi and 13 of D. bauchotae) found during May 2003 on the gills of 2 specimens of Sphyraena flavicauda Rüppell, 1838 collected at Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt. A discriminant analysis was performed on the morphometric data of opisthaptor to determine which parameters more accurately distinguish the two species. The best discriminant parameters resulted to be the copulatory apparatus and the central bar, which determined the absence of misclassification in the model. The discriminant functions are reported for the two species.