Morphology, phylogeny, Proteocephalus, ITS2, 18S rRNA Morpho-molecular characterization of Proteocephalus vitellaris Verma, 1928 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) infecting a freshwater fish, Bagarius yarrelli Sykes, 1839 inhabiting harike Wetland, Punjab, India

Proteocephalus vitellaris Verma, 1928 infecting Bagarius yarrelli Sykes, 1839 vern. goonch inhabiting Harike wetland in Punjab has been redescribed using integrated morpho-molecular approach. Up to five worms were collected from a single host. The total worm length was 2742mm having globular and unarmed scolex distinctly separated from the neck. Apical sucker was conspicuous, measure 128-160x153-240gm in size, other suckers four in number, bilateral in position and measure 118-144x88-128gm in size. Strobila consisted of 80–85 proglottids with distinct segmentation throughout. Testes small, rounded in shape and 80–90 in number, placed laterally, ovary bilobed, situated at the posterior margin of the proglottid and measure 50- 140x166-288gm in size with oviduct arising from the middle, genital pore irregularly alternate, oval in shape, at the centre of the lateral margin of the proglottid, vitellaria follicular oval to rounded, occupying lateral margins of the whole length of the mature proglottid. The present specimens were closely compared with two already known species from India i.e. P. ritaii Verma, 1926 and P. vitellaris infecting Rita rita and Bagarius yarrelli respectively and were considered to be closest to the later using various morphological and morphometrical attributes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA and ITS2 were made using Mega 6.0 software. Earlier, this species was recorded from the same host at Allahabad (U.P), India. In the present paper, P. vitellaris has been redescribed morphologically as earlier description was deficient and at the molecular level using 18S rRNA and ITS2 markers.