Underexplored diversity of gill monogeneans in cichlids from Lake Tanganyika: eight new species of Cichlidogyrus Paperna, 1960 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) from the northern basin of the lake, with remarks on the vagina and the heel of the male copulatory organ

BACKGROUND: Lake Tanganyika harbours the most diverse cichlid assemblage of the Great African Lakes. Considering its cichlid flocks consist of approximately 250 endemic species, we can hypothesize a high species-richness in their often quite host-specific monogenean ectoparasites belonging to Cichlidogyrus Paperna, 1960. Yet, only 24 species were described from Tanganyikan hosts and some host tribes have never been investigated for monogeneans. This study presents the first parasitological examination of species of the tribes Cyprichromini (Cyprichromis microlepidotus (Poll, 1956)), Eretmodini (Eretmodus marksmithi Burgess, 2012 and Tanganicodus irsacae Poll, 1950) and Ectodini (Aulonocranus dewindti (Boulenger, 1899)). Specimens of the ectodine Ophthalmotilapia nasuta (Poll & Matthes, 1962) from which four Cichlidogyrus spp. have been previously described from more southern localities were also studied. Further, we discuss the haptor configuration in Tanganyikan Cichlidogyrus spp. and highlight the morphological diversity of the vagina, and that of the heel, a sclerotized part of the male copulatory organ, absent in some species of Cichlidogyrus. METHODS: Cichlidogyrus spp. were isolated from gills and fixed using GAP. Haptoral and genital hard parts were measured and drawn by means of a phase contrast microscopic examination. RESULTS: We describe eight new species: Cichlidogyrus milangelnari n. sp. on C. microlepidotus; C. jeanloujustinei n. sp. on E. marksmithi; C. evikae n. sp. on T. irsacae; C. aspiralis n. sp., C. glacicremoratus n. sp. and C. rectangulus n. sp. on O. nasuta; and C. pseudoaspiralis n. sp. and C. discophonum n. sp. on A. dewindti. Three haptoral morphotypes were recognized among the new species. Species of Cichlidogyrus from closely related hosts exhibited the same morphotypes. Geographical variation in Cichlidogyrus spp. fauna as observed in O. nasuta and three morphotypes were distinguished. Finally, we listed 111 Cichlidogyrus species, of which 27 and three Tanganyikan species lack sclerotized vagina and heel, respectively, just like 19 and seven species outside of the lake. CONCLUSIONS: Haptoral and genital features in the Tanganyikan Cichlidogyrus fauna reflect the phylogenetic relationships of their cichlid hosts. It seems that several lineages of Cichlidogyrus spp. exist in Lake Tanganyika but further studies are necessary to confirm this hypothesis and answer questions related to Lake Tanganyika and its cichlids. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2460-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.