Description of a new and two known species of Cephaloboides Rahm, 1928(Nematoda: Rhabditidae) from India, with discussion on the taxonomy of the genus.

Abstract

A new species of Rhabditidae, collected from manure, is described and illustrated. Cephaloboides anisospiculus sp. n., an amphimictic species with a 1:1 sex ratio, is characterized by a small to medium-sized body (female: L = 0.5-0.7 mm, a = 13.6-20.0, b = 2.7-3.6, c = 15.4-22.7, c' = 1.0-1.8, V = 51.2-60.9), finely striated, punctated cuticle; slightly raised labial papillae; stoma with slightly anisomorphic metastegostom; presence of epiptygma; eggs measuring 37-42 x 20-24 µm; slightly protruded vulval lips with cuticular flaps; rectum 16-19 µm long; males with small, stout, slightly arcuate spicules with hood-like capitula and genital papillae in 1/2/(1+3)+2+P configuration; bursa leptoderan, greatly reduced and not enveloping the caudal spike. C. curvicaudatus (Schneider, 1866) Zullini, 1982 is also redescribed, with an emended diagnosis. The present population of C. curvicaudatus shows a few minor differences viz., relatively smaller 'b' value, presence of elongate capitula of spicules and strong copulatory muscle bands. Another species, C. parapapillosus (Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1951) comb. n. has been reinstated.