New species and new genus of Pseudohaploporinae (Digenea): Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n. (Digenea: Pseudohaploporinae) from Vietnamese mullet fish

Two new species of Pseudohaploporinae, Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n., are described from intestines of the Vietnamese mullet fish Moolgarda seheli and Osteomugil cunnesius, respectively. Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. differs from two known Pseudohaploporus species, P. vietnamensis and P. planiliza, by the absence of a diverticulate hermaphroditic duct and muscular sphincters at the proximal end of the hermaphroditic sac. Metrically, P. pusitestis sp. n. is close to P. vietnamensis and differs from this species and from P. planilizum by lower maximum sizes of most parameters. Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. differs from representatives of Pseudohaploporus by the presence of a single testis and the armament of hermaphroditic duct and is morphologically close to trematodes of the genus Haploporus. However, P. elegantus n. g differs from all known Haploporus species from mugilids of the Indo-West Pacific by the structure of the armament of the hermaphroditic duct and also by size of body, organs and eggs. The validity of designating two new species and a new genus of trematodes is supported by ITS and 28S rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic reconstructions showed that the new trematodes belong to the Pseudohaploporinae, which formed a well-supported cluster within the monophyletic Haploporidae.     

Praecocilenchus rhaphidophorus n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoidea) Parasitizing Rhynchophorus bilineatus (Montrouzier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in New Britain

Praecocilenchus rhaphidophorus n. gen., n. sp. is described as a new endoparasitic aphelenchoid nematode parasitizing adults of the palm weevil, Rhynchophorus bilineatus (Montrouzier). P. rhaphidophorus is unusual in that juveniles develop to maturity within the female uterus and thin, needle-shaped crystals form in the intestines of mature parasitic females. Hundreds of parasitic female nematodes were found in the body cavity of infected hosts. The role of this parasite as a biological control agent of Rhynchophorus weevils is discussed.     

Helicotylenchus stylocercus n. sp. and Rotylenchus phaliurus n. sp. (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae) from Costa Rica

Two new species of plant-parasitic nematodes from Costa Rica are described. Helicotygenchus styloeercus n. sp., from soil around roots of banana at Coto, is distinguished hy the female tail, which bears a large pillarlike ventral projection. Rotylenchus phaliurus n. sp., from soil artmnd roots of Dioscoroea sp. at Sixaola, differs from R. caudaphasmidius in having the conus equal to or more than half the spear length, and large terminal annules on the female tail.     

Antaretylus humus n. gen., n. sp. from the Subantarctic (Nematoda: Tylenchoidea)

Antarctylus humus n. gen., n. sp. from peat soil in the subantarctic is proposed. It can be distinguished from the most closely related genus Helicotylenchus by the arrangement of the esophageal glands, the broadly rounded lip region, and the tapering pointed tail in the female.     

Steinernema scapterisci n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Steinernema scapterisci n. sp., isolated in Uruguay from the mole cricket Scapteriscus vicinus, can be distinguished from other members in the genus by the presence of prominent cheilorhabdions, an elliptically shaped structure associated with the excretory duct, and a double-flapped epitygma in the first-generation female. The spicules of the male are pointed, tapering smoothly to a small terminus, and the shaft (calomus) is long, bearing a sheath. The gubernaculum has a long, upward-bent anterior part. The ratio of head to excretory pore divided by tail length of the third-stage juvenile is greater for S. scapterisci n. sp. than for S. carpocapsae. Steinernema scapterisci n. sp. did not hybridize with S. carpocapsae strain Breton. In laboratory tests, S. scapterisci n. sp. killed 10% or less of non-orthopteran insects, including the wax moth larva, a universal host for other species of Steinernema.     

Description of Paktylenchus tuberosus gen. n., sp. n. (Nematoda: Tylenchinae)

Paktylenchus tuberosus gen.n., sp.n. is described and illustrated from soil around Solanum tuberosum from Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. Paktylenchus gen.n, can be distinguished from the most closely related genus, Agelenchus Andrassy, 1954, by the distinct longitudinal striae, three incisures in the lateral field, and absence of males. Paktylenchus tuberosus shows affinities to Coslenchus Siddiqi, 1978 but differs in having an oblique vagina-to-body axis and a prominent sunken vulva with vulval flaps. Four genera of the subfamily Tylenchinae are also discussed herein.     

Leptojacobus dorci n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Diplogastridae), an Associate of Dorcus Stag Beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)

A new species of diplogastrid nematode, Leptojacobus dorci n. gen., n. sp., was isolated from adults of the stag beetle Dorcus ritsemae (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) that were purchased from a pet shop in Japan. Leptojacobus n. gen. is circumscribed by a very thin, delicate body and by a small stoma with minute armature. A combination of other stomatal characters, namely the division of the cheilostom into adradial plates, the symmetry of the subventral stegostomatal sectors, and the presence of a thin, conical dorsal tooth, further distinguishes Leptojacobus n. gen. from other genera of Diplogastridae. Phylogenetic analysis of nearly full-length SSU rRNA sequences support the new species, together with an isolate identified previously as Koerneria luziae, to be excluded from a clade including all other molecularly characterized diplogastrids with teeth and stomatal dimorphism. Therefore, the new species will be of importance for reconstruction of ancestral character histories in Diplogastridae, a family circumscribed by a suite of feeding-related novelties.     

Longidorus biformis n. sp. and L. glycines n. sp. (Nematoda: Longidoridae): Two Amphimictic Species from Arkansas

Two new amphimictic species of Longidorus were found in Arkansas. Longidorus biformis n. sp., found in the rhizosphere of hardwood trees along streams in sandy soil in 14 Arkansas locations, is characterized by its long body (5.42-9.50 mm), wide expanded flattened head end, head width 20.0 to 26.0 µm, odontostyle 96 to 125 µm, guide ring 29 to 38 µm posterior to the anterior end, elongate conoid tail, and c'' = 0.9-2.1. Females with 2 to 11 vetromedian supplement-like structures were found in 2 of 14 populations of this new species. Longidorus biformis n. sp. is closest to L. seinhorsti Peneva, Loof &Brown, 1998 and L. closelongatus Stoyanov, 1964. Among North American species it is closest to L. glycines n. sp. A distinguishing feature of L. biformis n. sp. is the presence of supplement-like organs in some females. Longidorus glycines n. sp., found in soybean microplots at the Main Research Station, Fayetteville, Arkansas, is characterized by its long body (6.14-8.31 mm), wide offset flattened head end, head width 20.3 to 23.3 µm, odontostyle 87.3 to 99.5 µm, guide ring 22.3 to 26.4 µm posterior to the anterior end, short conoid tail with rounded terminus, and c'' = 0.9-1.4. Longidorus glycines n. sp. is closest to L. lusitanicus Macara, 1985. Among North American species it is close to L. biformis n. sp., L. breviannulatus Norton and Hoffman, 1975, and L. crassus Thorne, 1964. Both new species are believed to have four juvenile stages; the first stage was not found for L. biformis n. sp.     

Thalassomermis megamphis n. gen., n. sp. (Mermithidae: Nemata) from the Bathyal South Atlantic Ocean

Thalassomermis megamphis n. gen., n. sp. (Mermithidae: Nemata) was extracted from sediment collected off the coast of Brazil at a depth of approximately 1,000 m. Although the food of this new nematode is unknown, the reduction of the stoma and esophagus and presence of a trophosome indicate that it is parasitic in its juvenile stages. Thalassomermis megaraphis n. gen., n. sp. is assigned to Mermithidae because of its similarity to that family in the appearance of the cephalic sensory receptors, the long and tubular vagina, and copulatory muscles of the male extending posteriorly throughout most of the length of the tail. Thalassomermis megamphis n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other members of Mermithidae by the large, lenticular, intracuticular amphidial fovea with coiled, emergent terminal filaments as well as the small amphidial aperture situated over the center of the fovea.     

Sclerostylus n. gen. from Panama and Other Neotropical Species of LeptonIchoidea (Dorylaimida)

Leptonchoid species found in soil samples taken in lowland and mid-elevation seasonal forests at four locations in Panama were as follows: Sclerostylus karri n. gen., n. sp., Basirotyleptus saccatus n. sp., B. nemoralis, B. acus, B. penetrans, Doryllium neotropicum n. sp., D. minor, Tyleptus gymnochilus, Gerthus jamesi, Dorylaimoides micoletzkyi, and Tylencholaimellus macrophallus. The discoveries corroborate our earlier suggestion of a Gondwanian origin for Tyleptus and Basirotyleptus and provide data for additional biogeographical study.     

Funaria maryanneae n. sp. and Proleptonchus weischeri n. sp. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) from Europe and New Synonyms in Leptonchoidea

Funaria maryanneae n. sp., distinguished by its large size and long prerectum, is described from specimens collected in Bad Sooden, Germany, D. B. R. This nematode was collected also from Fräkmüntegg (Mt. Pilatus), Switzerland. Proleptonchus weischeri n. sp., with short hemispheroid female tail and relatively anterior vulva, is described from specimens collected in Kaufunger Wald near Kassel, Germany, D. B. R. This is the first report of either genus from the continent of Europe. Leptonchus parisii Zullini, 1973, from Chiapas, Mexico, becomes a junior synonym of Funaria obtusa (Thorne, 1939) Goseco, Ferris and Ferris, 1974. Leptonchus acutus Zulliui, 1973 becomes Funaria acuta n. comb., and Funaria rothi Goseco, Ferris and Ferris, 1974 becomes a junior synonym of Funaria acuta.     

Drilomermis leioderma n. gen., n. sp. (Mermithidae:Nematoda) parasitizing Cybister fimbriolatus (Say) (Dystiscidae-Coleoptera)

The nematode Drilomermis leioderma n. gen., n. sp. (Merrnithidae) is described from larvae of Cybister fimbriolatus (Say) (Dytiscidae: Coleoptera) in Louisiana. Diagnostic characters of the genus Drilomermis are: medium-sized nematodes with the cuticle appearing smooth (lacking cross fibers) under the light microscope, six cephalic papillae, without mouth papillae, six hypodermal cords at midbody, 2 extremely long spicules (longer than 10 times body width at anus) which are separate and parallel (not twisted), an S-shaped vagina, medium-sized amphids located near head papillae, and postparasitic juvenile with a tail appendage. D. leioderma possesses a ventrally displaced mouth, very long vagina, and male genital papillae arranged in 3 double rows in the vicinity of the cloacal opening. Even when containing multiple parasites, about 40% of the hosts sulwived emergence of the memithids and lived several more days. In nature, some of these hosts may be able to continue their development, which is unusual since most mermithid-parasitized hosts die soon after the nematode emerges.     

Tylenchocriconema alleni n. g., n. sp. from Guatemala (Tylenchocriconematidae n. fam.; Tylenchocriconematidae n. superfam.; Nematoda)

Tylenchocriconema alleni n.g.n.sp, is described from soil about roots of a bromeliad from Guatemala City, Guatemala. It has characteristics of both the Tylenchoidea and Criconematoidea. Tylenchocriconematidae, n. fam., and Tylenchocriconematoidea, n. superfam., are proposed to express the relationship of this species to other taxa. Tylenchulidae and Paratylenchidae are considered closely related, and Tylenchulidoidea, n. rank, is proposed to indicate their relationship.     

Rhabditis (Oscheius) pheropsophi n. sp. (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae)

Rhabditis (Oscheius) pheropsophi n. sp., associated with cadavers of the bombardier beetle, Pheropsophus aequinoctialis, is described from material collected in Brazil. Mean body length of the female is 1,217 μm, of the male 872 μm, and of the dauer juvenile 568 μm. The female has six lips with one papilla on each lateral lip and two on each sublateral lip; stoma wall thickened dorsally, metarhabdions with warts, excretory pore near base of esophagus, tail long (c = 8), and phasmids prominent, protruding on scanning electron microscope preparations. The male has 10 pairs of bursal ribs, with the terminal pair considerably smaller than the others; spicules fused distally two-thirds of their length. The new species can be distinguished from other members of the Dolichura-group by its fused spicules.     

The subfamily Encotyllabinae (Monogenea: Capsalidae) with the description of Alloencotyllabe caranxi n. g., n. sp. and Encotyllabe kuwaitensis n. sp.

Alloencotyllabe caranxi n. g., n. sp. is found in groups of 9–15 specimens attached close together to the lower pharyngeal plate of Caranx sp. It is characterized by having an elongate body, a prohaptor with large spines, an armed penis which lies in a pouch and a vaginal pouch guarded by two sets of glands. Encotyllabe kuwaitensis n. sp. is attached individually to the lower pharyngeal plate of Caranx sp. It is characterized by having an elongate body and tandem testes. E. spari is reported from the lower pharyngeal tooth plate of Plectorhynchus cinctus, P. pictus and P. schotaf. All fish hosts were caught in Kuwaiti waters in the Arabian Gulf. The subfamily Encotyllabinae is reviewed and the genus Neoencotyllabe is regarded as a genus inquirendum. The new genus is attached to the subfamily Encotyllabinae.     

Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. (Microsporidia) from glands of Branchiura sowerbyi (Oligochaeta: Tubificidae) in China

Jirovecia species primarily infect oligochaetes and are typically characterized by large rod-shaped spores with a tail-like posterior prolongation. Presently, seven Jirovecia spp. are reported worldwide with only one described in China. Here, a new species, Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. was discovered in glands of oligochaetes Branchiura sowerybi Beddard, 1892 in China. Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. elicited the formation of numerous opaque xenomas of 0.12 to 0.20 mm (n = 30) in diameter. Electron microscopic observations demonstrated that the earliest developmental stages observed were uninucleate meronts residing directly with the host cytoplasm. Mature spores were rod-shaped with blunt ends and possessed a collar-like anchoring disk, a manubrium-type polar filament, a bipartite polarplast, and a three-layered spore wall. A tail-like prolongation was distinctly observed in the posterior of spores and measured 13.2–28.6 μm long (n = 30). Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. showed 98.54% sequence similarity with Janacekia tainunus isolated from the fat body of chironomidae larvae Kiefferulus tainanus based on obtained partial SSU rDNA gene sequence, but was significantly different in morphology, host, and infection sites. SSU rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis indicated Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. clustered with Janacekia tainanus within the Jirovecia-Bacillidium-Janacekia clade. In conclusion, a new species within Jirovecia, Jirovecia branchilis n. sp. is erected herein based mainly on its morphological, ecological, and to a lesser degree on its molecular characteristics. The whole relationship between Jirovecia spp., Janacekia spp., and Bacillidium spp. is in need of revision and could potentially be elucidated by using additional makers and sequencing a broader diversity of the already described species.     

Taxonomy and phylogeny of two poorly studied genera of marine oligotrich ciliates including descriptions of two new species: Cyrtostrombidium paraboreale sp. n. and Apostrombidium orientale sp. n. (Ciliophora: Spirotrichea)

Although it is widely recognized that oligotrich ciliates are the dominant constituent of microzooplankton communities and perform key functions in energy flow and material cycling in marine microbial food webs, knowledge of their diversity is scant. In the present study, we investigate the oligotrich genera, Cyrtostrombidium and Apostrombidium, with emphasis on their morphology and evolutionary relationships. Three isolates were collected from coastal waters of northern and southern China including two new species, viz., Cyrtostrombidium paraboreale sp. n., Apostrombidium orientale sp. n., and Apostrombidium pseudokielum Xu et al., 2009. Cyrtostrombidium paraboreale sp. n. is characterized by possessing 64–98 cytopharyngeal rods and two macronuclear nodules. Apostrombidium orientale sp. n. is characterized by its somatic kinety consisting of five fragments including a horizontally orientated subterminal fragment and possessing conspicuously long dorsal cilia. Apostrombidium pseudokielum is redescribed based on the new population and a re-examination of the type material. Phylogenetic analyses were performed for the subclass Oligotrichia, incorporating SSU rRNA gene sequences of the three species investigated here. The results indicate that the genus Cyrtostrombidium is monophyletic with C. paraboreale sp. n. occupying the basal position. The genus Apostrombidium is not monophyletic as Varistrombidium kielum is nested within it.     

Description of Pratylenchoides sheri n. sp. (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae)

Pratylenchoides sheri n. sp., a bisexual species from the Pacific coastal area of California, is described and illustrated. Its most distinctive characters are the esophageal glands slightly overlapping the intestine dorsally, the large ventrally slanting esophago-intestinal valve, the lack of labial sectors in the first lip annule, the presence of males, and apparently functional spermatheca. Pratylenchoides sheri is morphologically similar to P. magnicauda, but differs in length and labial conformation, its more anterior vulva, and the presence of males. Relationships of head and esophagus gland lobe characters of P. sheri are compared to other Pratylenchoides species.     

A New Ataloderinae (Nematoda: Heteroderidae), Thecavermiculatus gracililancea n. gen., n. sp.

Thecavermiculatus gracililancea n. gen., n . sp. is described from the roots of Festuca myuros L. ("rattail fescue") a range grass in Monterey County, California. Thecavermiculatus females have a slight terminal prominence on which are located the vulva and anus, while its closest relatives, Atalodera and Sherodera, have a large terminal prominence. Furthermore, in T. gracililancea the hatched second-stage juveniles are retained in the female body while Atalodera and Sherodera females retain embryonated eggs.