A new species of Phyllodistomum (Digenea: Gorgoderidae) from Australian and New Zealand freshwater fishes with notes on the taxonomy of Phyllodistomum Braun, 1899

Phyllodistomum magnificum sp. nov., is described from the urinary bladder of Australian and New Zealand freshwater fish. Australian hosts were Anguilla reinhardtii, Tandanus tandanus, Hephaestus fuliginosus and Scortum hilli. New Zealand hosts were Anguilla australis and A. dieffenbachii. A presumed part of the life-cycle is described. Typical cystocercous cercariae are produced by sporocysts in the gills of a Pisidium species and are eaten by aquatic arthropods in which they encyst. The taxonomy of the genus Phyllodistomum is discussed and it is suggested that those species with cystocercous cercariae form a phylogenetic unit with Gorgodera, Gorgoderina, Progorgodera and Gorgotrema species.