Abstract
A new species of Paracrobeles, P. kelsodunensis sp. nov. is described from the Kelso Dunes area, Mojave National Preserve, southern California. Paracrobeles kelsodunensis sp. nov. is particularly characterised by a body length of 469–626 μm in females and 463–569 μm in males; lateral field with four incisures, extending almost to tail terminus; three pairs of asymmetrical lips, separated by U-shaped primary axils with two long guarding processes, each lip usually with four tines along its margin; three long labial probolae, deeply bifurcated, with slender prongs without tines; metastegostom with a strong anteriorly directed dorsal tooth; pharyngeal corpus anteriorly spindle-shaped, posteriorly elongate bulbous with dilated lumen; spermatheca 24–87 μm long; postvulval uterine sac 60–133 μm long; vulva in a sunken area; spicules 33–38 μm long; and male tail with a 5–8 μm long mucro. The generic diagnosis is emended on the basis of recently described species and a key to the species of Paracrobeles is provided.
Highlights
The genus Paracrobeles was erected by Heyns (1968), with Paracrobeles laterellus Heyns, 1968 as type species, for a cephalobid from South Africa having: pharyngeal metacorpus developed into an elongate median bulb with a large chamber; labial probolae long, bifurcate, sharply pointed, prongs without fringe; and cephalic probolae prominent, sharply pointed without fringe
Male genital papillae: two ventrosublateral pairs located anterior to cloaca; one ventrosublateral pair located just posterior to cloacal opening; two pairs located at middle of tail length; and three pairs near tail terminus; there is a midventral papilla on anterior cloacal lip
The Mojave Desert and especially the Kelso Dunes seem to be an area with a high diversity of species of the family Cephalobidae Filipjev, 1934
Summary
The genus Paracrobeles was erected by Heyns (1968), with Paracrobeles laterellus Heyns, 1968 as type species, for a cephalobid from South Africa having: pharyngeal metacorpus developed into an elongate median bulb with a large chamber; labial probolae long, bifurcate, sharply pointed, prongs without fringe; and cephalic probolae prominent, sharply pointed without fringe. Since three new species have been described, viz. P_psammophilus Navarro & Lluch, 1999 from Spain, P. mojavicus Taylor, Baldwin & Mundo-Ocampo, 2004 from California, USA and P. deserticola Abolafia, Divsalar, Panahi & Shokoohi, 2014 from Iran. A population of Paracrobeles from Kelso Dunes, Mojave National Preserve, southern California, is described here from studies by light and scanning electron microscope. It is close to P. mojavicus, but differs in some characters and is considered to represent a new species. The generic diagnosis is emended on the basis of recently described species and a key to the species of Paracrobeles is provided
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