Aquatic nematodes from Ethiopia III

Six species of the genus Eumonhystera, one of which is new to science, are described from bottom samples of Lake Tana and two associated rivers, River Abbay and R. Gelda, Ethiopia. E. geraerti n.sp. can be identified by being the only species in the genus that combines very posteriorly positioned vulva [V% = 68.2 ± 0.7 (67.3–69.3)] with very anteriorly positioned amphids (Amph-ABE/LRW = 0.8). The other five species encountered, E. dispar (Bastian, 1865) Andrássy, 1981, E. filiformis (Bastian, 1865) Andrássy, 1981, E. pseudobulbosa (von Daday, 1896) Andrássy, 1981, E. mwerazii (Meyl, 1957) Andrássy, 1981, and E. vulgaris (de Man, 1880), Andrássy, 1981, are described in detail. The identities of some of the already described populations of E. dispar, E. filiformis and E. vulgaris are questioned and clearer and better ways of defining each of these three species are suggested. A peritrophic-like membrane on the outer side of the brush-border of the intestine of E. mwerazii, a species reported here for the first time out of its type locality, is reported. Also, scanning electronmicrographs of sectioned and entire specimens of E. mwerazii are presented. All species are reported from Ethiopia for the first time.     

Thalassomonhystera traesti n.sp., Eumonhystera andrassyi and three Monhystrella species (Monhysteridae: Nematoda) from Li River, China

A new Thalassomonhystera species, i.e. T. traesti n.sp., and a new subspecies, Monhystrella lepidura chinensis n. subsp., together with Eumonhystera andrassyi (Biró, 1969) Andrássy, 1981, Monhystrella macrura (de Man, 1880) Andrássy, 1981 and Monhystrella iranica Schiemer, 1965 are described from Li River at Guiling, China. Thalassomonhystera traesti n.sp. is characterised by a combination of the following characters: expanded lip region, large and anteriorly situated amphids, prominent inner labial sensilla, and slender spicules and tube-like gubernaculum in males. Monhystrella lepidura chinensis n. subsp. belongs to Monhystrella lepidura (Andrássy, 1963) Andrássy, 1968 but differs from the three hitherto described subspecies in its possession of a pharynx that posteriorly expands into a double bulb. Monhystrella macrura, M. iranica and Eumonhystera andrassyiare reported here for the first time from China.     

On some predatory nematodes from the Okavango Delta,Botswana

Five species of Mononchida and Mononchulus nodicaudatus (v. Daday, 1899) Cobb, 1918 are reported from freshwater sediments at or near Boba Island, Okavango Swamps, Botswana. Illustrations are given for Mylonchulus lacustris (Cobb N.A. in Cobb MX, 1915) Andrássy, 1958, Iotonchus risoceiae (Carvalho, 1955) Andrássy, 1958 and Cobbonchus spec. Two species of Mononchus Bastian, 1865, M. aquaticus Coetzee, 1968 and M. truncatus Bastian, 1865 were also found. The usually rare species M. nodicaudatus was well represented and its juvenile stages are described for the first time.     

The genus Paradorylaimus Andrássy, 1969 (Dorylaimoidea: Nematoda)

Examination of the type specimens of Dorylaimus parafecundus De Coninck, 1935 showed that the cuticle lacks longitudinal ridges. The species is a typical Laimydorus and is herewith redesignated L. parafecundus (De Coninck, 1935) n.comb. As it is the type species of Paradorylaimus Andrássy, 1969, the latter generic name falls as a synonym of Laimydorus Siddiqi, 1969 which has priority of publication. The three other species included originally in Paradorylaimus are dealt with as follows: P. wilhelmschneideri (Andrássy, 1959) is considered incertae sedis; P. heterurus (Schuurmans Stekhoven & Teunissen, 1938) was shown by Mulk et al. (1978) to belong in the genus Roqueus Thorne, 1964; P. filiformis (Bastian, 1865) is herewith returned to Laimydorus. Dorylaimus tenuistriatus Schneider, 1935 is not identical with L. parafecundus: it is more slender; odontostyle, pharynx and spicules are shorter; supplement number is lower; shape of vulva and the arrangement of the pharyngeal gland nuclei are different. The species is transferred to Laimydorus, becoming L. tenuistriatus (Schneider, 1935) n.comb. Lectotypes are designated for L. parafecundus and L. tenuistriatus. Among the material of L. tenuistriatus are specimens of L. pseudostagnalis (Micoletzky, 1927) and L. sp.     

Some studies on Tylenchorhynchinae: proposal ofDivittus n.g. (Nematoda: Tylenchida)

Summary A new genusDivittus is proposed in the subfamily Tylenchorhynchinae Eliava, 1964 with only three incisures in the non-areolated lateral fields and the body cuticle without longitudinal ridges or lamellae. It is also proposed to restrictTrilineellus Lewis & Golden, 1981 to its type species only, i.e.,T. clathrocutis which has three incisures in the lateral fields and longitudinal ridges or lamellae on the body, andTylenchorhynchus to species which have four incisures in the lateral fields but no ridges or lammellae.T. divittatus Siddiqi, 1961,T. triglyphus Seinhorst, 1963 andT. sculptus Seinhorst, 1963 which were transferred toTrilineellus by Lewis & Golden (1981) are now included inDivittus with the following species ofTylenchorhynchus which have three incisures in the lateral fields:T. obscurisulcatus Andrássy, 1959,T. chonai Sethi & Swarup, 1968,T. madrasensis Gupta & Uma, 1981 andT. pruni Gupta & Uma, 1981. The synonymy ofT. chonai withT. triglyphus proposed by Tarjan (1973) is not accepted.Divittus labiatus n.sp. from soil around roots of sugarcane from north-eastern Nigeria is described. It is characterized by having the lip region continuous with the body, the spear 14–16 m long, the basal oesophageal bulb with a small overlap over the intestine and the tail with a large post-anal intestinal sac and 20 to 30 annules. A key to species ofDivittus is provided. ac]19830105     

The taxonomy of Tylenchorhynchinae (Nematoda: Tylenchida) with longitudinal lines and ridges

Summary The taxonomy of those Tylenchorynchinae which have longitudinal lines or ridges on the cuticle is discussed. Dolichorhynchus is restricted to species with four incisures in the lateral field, lateral vulval flaps and a terminally notched bursa. D. prophasmis n. sp. is described. Neodolichorhynchus n. g. is erected for those species previously in Dolichorhynchus which have no lateral vulval flaps and a normal bursa, including: N. microphasmis (Loof, 1959) n.comb., N. judithae (Andrássy, 1962) n.comb., N. sulcatus (de Guiran, 1967) n.comb., and N. gladiolatus (Fortuner & Amougou, 1973) n.comb. Tessellus n.g. is proposed for T. claytoni (Steiner, 1937) n.comb. and T. pachys (Thorne & Malek, 1968) n.comb. the only remaining Tylenchorhynchus species with longitudinal cuticular lines. They are characterized by a rounded non-offset lip region, four incisures in the lateral field and a cuticular annulation divided into prominent blocks by deep longitudinal cuticular lines.     

A new species of Eumonhystera and three species of Monhystera (Monhysteridae: Nematoda) from Li River,China

A new Eumonhystera species, E. huruii n. sp., together with Monhystera nubiae Eyualem & Coomans, 1996, Monhystera somereni Allgén, 1952, and Monhystera wangi Wu & Hoeppli, 1932 are described from Li river at Guiling, China. Eumonhystera huruii n. sp. is closest to E. barbata Andrássy, 1981, but differs in having shorter anterior setae, much longer reproductive system, shorter and less dorsally bent tail and differently shaped spinneret. M. nubiae and M. wangi are reported here for the first time outside their type locality, whereas M. somereni is reported from China for the first time.     

The first species of Thelastoma Leidy, 1849 (Nematoda: Thelastomatidae) parasitising the scorpion Euscorpius italicus (Chactidae: Scorpionidea)

A new species, Thelastoma euscorpii, (Thelastomatidae: Oxyuroidea) is described from Euscorpius italicus (Chactidae) on Pag Island (Kvarner Islands), Croatia. The new taxon differs from all other species of Thelastoma in having a cuticle with fine transverse striae. The excretory pore of the female specimens is located in a prebulbar position, the tail is short and subfiliform (5.5-9.3% of the total body length), and the eggs are small (47-52×24-29 m). The males have a short oesophagus and no spicules. This is the first nematode species found in scorpions (Scorpionidea).     

Catecholamines and related o-diphenols in cockroach hemolymph and cuticle during sclerotization and melanization: comparative studies on the order Dictyoptera

Summary Catecholamines and related o-diphenols extracted from the cuticle and hemolymph of adult cockroaches during sclerotization and pigmentation of the cuticle were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC with electrochemical detection. At ecdysis, dopamine (DA) oconjugates predominated in the hemolymph of Periplaneta americana, P. australasiae, P. fuliginosa, P. brunnea, and Blatta orientalis (Blattidae); Blattella germanica (Blattellidae); and Gromphadorhina portentosa and Blaberus craniifer (Blaberidae). n-Acetyldopamine (NADA) conjugates were second in abundance in these species, but were major in the hemolymph of the other blaberoid species, Leucophaea maderae and Nauphoeta cinerea. After ecdysis NADA became the major hemolymph catecholamine in all species as DA decreased rapidly. n--Alanyldopamine (NBAD) concentrations in the hemolymph remained low in all species, although NBAD and its metabolite, n--alanylnorepinephrine (NBANE), were generally the major catecholamines in tanning cuticle. Catechol (1,2-dihydroxybenzene) occurred mainly as a conjugate(s) at high levels in the hemolymph of nymphs and adults of all blattid species. Only trace amounts were detected in B. germanica and Cryptocercus punctulatus (Cryptocercidae), and none was found in any of the blaberoid species. High concentrations of NBANE and NBAD accumulated in tanning cuticle of B. germanica, G. portentosa, and all blattid species, whereas NADA and DA predominated in cuticle from the other blaberoid species, particularly L. maderae and N. cinerea. However, cockroaches as a group appear to utilize both the n-acetyl and n--alanyl catecholamines for stabilization of the exoskeleton. The Blattidae differed most from the other families in having considerably higher concentrations of catecholamines in hemolymph and cuticle, as well as the large amounts of catechol conjugates in the hemolymph.Abbreviations AMD -methlydopa - DA dopamine - DOBA 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid - DOPA 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine - DOPAC 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid - DOPET 3,4-dibydroxyphenylethanol - DOPKET 3,4-dihydroxyphenylketoethanol - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - NADA n-acetyldopamine - NANE n-acetylnorepinephrine - NBAD n--alanyldopamine - NBANE n--alanylnorepinephrine - NE notepinephrine Contribution No. 90-88-J from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Cooperative investigation between the KAES and the ARS, USDA. K.J. Kramer is a research chemist and Adjunct Professor at the U.S. Grain Marketing Research Laboratory and Kansas State University, respectively. Address reprint requests to T.L. Hopkins     

Mesocriconema kirjanovae (Nematoda: Criconematidae) from Southeastern Spain

An abundant female population of a criconematid species identified as Mesocriconema kirjanovae (Andr ssy, 1962) Loof &De Grisse, 1989 is reported from a natural habitat in southeastern Spain. Measurements and morpho-anatomy obtained with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are included and compared with previous data on this species.     

Cephalobus litoralis: Biology and Tolerance to Desiccation

Cephalobus litoralis (Akhtar, 1962) Andrássy, 1984 reproduced parthenogenetically and completed its life cycle in 72-90 hours. Each female deposited 200-300 eggs. The nematodes showed synchronized movements in the rhythms of the anterior parts of the body. The nematodes were coiled when dried in culture medium or in slowly evaporating water droplets on the tops of culture plates, but in pellets they assumed irregular postures. Nematodes in pellets stored at high humidity could be reactivated after storage for 28 days.     

Roles of dopa decarboxylase and phenoloxidase in the melanization of the tobacco hornworm and their control by 20-hydroxyecdysone

Summary WhenManduca sexta larvae are allatectomized 5 h before head capsule slippage (HCS) in the final larval molt, the new larval cuticle contains granules that melanize 3 h before ecdysis when the ecdysteroid titer falls (Curtis et al. 1984). In both the epidermis and hemolymph of these allatectomized larvae dopamine was higher than dopa prior to and at the time of melanization. Dopamine also increased in the new cuticle as melanization began. Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) activity increased in the epidermis, cuticle, and fat body beginning 16 h after HCS, with a two-fold greater increase in the epidermis of allatectomized larvae. Both -MDH and -fluoromethyl-dopa inhibited epidermal DDC activity and inhibited melanization in vitro when dopa was used as a precursor. Addition of dopamine to the medium allowed melanization in the presence of the inhibitors. All these results indicate that dopamine is likely the primary precursor of cuticular melanin. The diphenoloxidase in the premelanin granules was activated in vivo between 19 and 21 h after HCS and was found to prefer dopamine to dopa and not to convert tyrosine to melanin. The activation of the prophenoloxidase was inhibited by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), both in vivo and in vitro, if hormone was given by 16 h after HCS. Infusion of 1.2 g/ml 20-HE into allatectomized larvae for 24 h from HCS prevented both the increase in DDC activity and the activation of the premelanin granules. Although the larvae ecdysed after a 15 h delay, melanization never occurred.Abbreviations -MDH L-3-(3,4 dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydrazine-methylpropionic acid - -FM-dopa R-S--fluoromethyl-dopa - DCC dopa decarboxylase - 20-HE 20-hydroxyecdysone - JH juvenile hormone - HCS head capsule slippage     

The calanoid fauna (Crustacea,Copepoda) of the Cordillera Oriental of the Colombian Andes

Calanoid copepods belonging to four species and one subspecies from lakes and ponds mainly from the Cordillera Oriental (22) and Cordillera Central (1) of the Colombian Andes are recorded. Most of the water bodies studied are located in the páramo region, between 2996 and 4085 m altitude. The family Boeckellidae is recorded for the first time from Colombia. Taxonomic characteristics of Boeckella occidentalis Marsh, 1906, Boeckella gracilis (Daday,1902) and the diaptomid Prionodiaptomus colombiensis (Thiébaud, 1914) are discussed. A new diaptomid genus, Colombodiaptomus, with one species and one subspecies are established.     

Aquatic nematodes from Ethiopia II

Eight species of the genus Monhystrella, six of which are new to science, are described from bottom samples collected from three lakes, two rivers and a hot spring in Ethiopia. Monhystrella hoogewijsi n. sp. is identified by a distinctive bulge on the lip region, position of the amphids, offset and well developed single pharyngeal terminal bulb, tail shorter than vulva-anus distance, tail elongate-conoid for two-thirds of its length, and by the shape and size of the spinneret outlet; M. jacobsi n. sp. by its slender body, distinctively offset and distended lip region, indistinct and weakly expanding single terminal pharyngeal bulb, and shape and size of the tail and spinneret outlet; M. arsiensis n. sp. by its single terminal pharyngeal bulb, position of amphids, shape and length of tail and spinneret outlet; M. woitorum n. sp. by its hemispherical lip region, double terminal pharyngeal bulb, shape and length of the spinneret outlet, and shape and length of tail; M. ethiopica n. sp. by its bipartite stoma, size of amphid in relation to corresponding body width, filiform tail and shape and length of spinneret outlet. M. atteae n. sp. differs from all known Monhystrella species in having an inflated cap-like lip region and fine crystalloid bodies. M. macrura (de Man, 1880) Andrássy, 1981 and M. lepidura altherri (Juget, 1969) Jacobs, 1987 are reported from Ethiopia for the first time. Crystalloid bodies in the genus Monhystrella is reported here for the first time. Also the presence of a hyaline coelomocyte next to the germinal zone of the reproductive system is reported for the first time in the genus here in all eight species. The structures used in the taxonomy of the genus are reviewed.     

A new species of Lernanthropus De Blainville, 1822 (Copepoda: Lernanthropidae) parasitic on Menticirrhus ophicephalus (Jenyns) (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) from the Peruvian coast

Lernanthropus huamani n. sp. (Copepoda: Lernanthropidae), a parasite of the Peruvian sciaenid fish Menticirrhus ophicephalus (Jenyns), is described and illustrated. The new species differs from all other species of Lernanthropus by a combination of characters, including the dorsal plate, legs and other appendages. L. guacoldae Villalba & Fernández, 1984 is considered a synonym of L. pacificus Oliva & Duran, 1982.     

Dichelyne (Dichelyne) bonacii n. sp. (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) from the grey snapper Lutjanus griseus and the black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci off the coast of Yucatán,Mexico

A new cucullanid, Dichelyne bonacii n. sp., is described from the intestine of the grey snapper Lutjanus griseus and the stomach of the black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci off the coast of Yucatán. The absence of a ventral precloacal sucker and the presence of 11 pairs of caudal papillae in males allocate it to the subgenus Dichelyne. It differs from its congeners in body dimensions and by having two almost equal spicules (left 712-950 and right 722-945m), two intestinal caeca and in the position of the deirids and excretory pore. Apparently, L. griseus acts as definitive host of this species, whereas M. bonaci may be considered as a postcyclic host. This new species represents the first record of a nematode of the subgenus Dichelyne in marine fishes of Mexico.     

Species diversity of mainland-and island forests in the Pacific area

Alpha diversity, or species richness, of East Asian mainland evergreen broadleaved forests, expressed by indices of Fisher's alpha () and S(₁₀₀), a new index showing species number in a 100-individual sample, is significantly correlated with the climatic favorableness, expressed by Kira's warmth index. On the contrary, diversity values of insular forests studied on Kyushu satellites of Japan, the Bonins, the Eastern Carolines of Micronesia, and the Galápagos in the eastern Pacific, are below those expected from the climate of respective oceanic islands. Species-individual curves, comparing mainland-and insular communities, also support clearly the above conclusion of species poverty in the insular communities studied.Abbreviations WI Kira's (1977) warmth index.