Abstract
Blatticola cristovata n. sp. (Oxyurida, Thelastomatidae) a parasite of the cricket Anurogryllus muticus (De Geer, 1773) (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) from Argentina, is described and illustrated. This is the first species of the genus Blatticola found parasitizing cricket. This new species is characterized in females by having the cuticle annulated through the body length, the mouth opening is subtriangular and surrounded by eight cephalic papillae, the stoma is short with three pairs placed in two rows of cuticular sclerotised plates, amphids in small pore shaped, oesophagus is divided into three parts, anterior cylindrical corpus, isthmus distinct, and basal bulb valved, the nerve ring is situated around the middle of corpus, the intestine is wide broad anteriorly, oval eggs, smooth shell, with a straight side, and the other side with a band running longitudinally. Males with one pair of preanal, one pair of adanal and two pairs of postanal papillae, and the tail appendage short, conical and pointed.
Highlights
The genus Tlatticola was proposed by Swenk (1926), who designated Tlatticola blatticola (Caleb, 1877) as its type species
While conducting field surveys on agricultural pests in the area of La Plata, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, we found nymphs of crickets which were parasitized by a species of thelastomatid. In this con tribution we report a new species, Tlatticola cristovata n. sp., a parasite of the cricket Anurogryllus muticus (De Geer, 1773) (Orthoptera, Gryllidae)
Blatticola cristovata n. sp. is characterized by i) female with annulated cuticle through the body, ii) mouth opening subtriangular and surrounded by 8 cephalic papillae, Hi) stoma short with three pairs of cuticular sclerotised plates placed in two rows, iv) amphids aperture pore shaped, v) oesophagus divided into three parts, anterior cylindrical corpus, isthmus distinct, and basal bulb valved, vi) nerve ring located around the middle of corpus, lii) intestine broad an teriorly, viii) oval eggs, smooth shell, with a straight side, and the other side with a band running longitu dinally, ix) male with one pair of preanal, one pair of adanal and two pairs of postanal papillae, and x) tail appendage short, conical and pointed
Summary
The genus Tlatticola was proposed by Swenk (1926), who designated Tlatticola blatticola (Caleb, 1877) as its type species. In 1932, Chitwood con sidered this species a synonym of Tlatticola blattae (Graeffe, 1860). The taxonomic history of the genus and the type species was clarified by Dale in 1966. The emended diagnosis of the genus was modified (Adamson & Van Waerebeke, 1992) to accommo date the species described by Chitwood (1932) in a revision of the thelastomatid group. While conducting field surveys on agricultural pests in the area of La Plata, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, we found nymphs of crickets which were parasitized by a species of thelastomatid. In this con tribution we report a new species, Tlatticola cristovata n. N.B.: A new nematode parasite of cricket in Argentina
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