Echinorhynchus lesteri n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) parasitic in the intestine of the orange roughy Hoplostethus atlanticus

Echinorhynchus lesteri (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) is described from the intestine of the deep-sea fish, the orange roughy Hoplostethus atlanticus Collett 1889, from the waters of western Tasmania and the Great Australian Bight. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by a proboscis armature of 14-16 rows of 14 hooks. Echinorhynchus jacundus Travassos, 1923 with 16-17 rows of 14 hooks and is. salobrensis Machado, 1941 with 16-17 rows of 12-14 hooks were the most similar but differed in the sizes of hooks, proboscides and lemnisci. All other species of Echinorhynchus with similar armature differed as follows: those with 14-16 rows of hooks did not have 14 hooks per row and those withl4 hooks per row did not havel4-16 rows of hooks. Since the Australian and New Zealand populations of the orange roughy are now listed as threatened perhaps E. lesteri could also be considered a threatened species.