Larval anisakid nematodes of Histioteuthis reversa (Verril, 1880) and H. bonnellii (Férussac, 1835) (Cephalopoda: Teuthoidea) from Sardinian Channel (western Mediterranean)

Larvae of two Anisakidae nematodes from the Histioteuthidae caught in Sardinian Channel (western Mediterranean) are described. Third-stage larvae of Lappetascaris sp. Type A (sensu Nagasawa and Moravec, 2002) measured about 16-28 mm long and occurred mainly encysted, not encapsuled, in the mantle musculature or free in the mantle cavity of the 4.26% of Histioteuthis bonnellii (Férussac, 1835) and of the 3.05% of H. reversa (Verril, 1880) examined. Larvae of Anisakis Type II (sensu Berland, 1961) were about 28-29 mm long and were found only in H. bonnellii (P%=1.83), free in the mantle cavity or adhered to the stomach wall. These findings represent new host reports for both Lappetascaris sp. Type A and Anisakis Type II larvae in Histioteuthidae, and new geographical record for the genus Lappetascaris Rasheed, 1965 in Mediterranean waters.