Nigerian Species of the Genus Xiphinema Cobb, 1913 (Nematoda: Dorylaimida): Part I

Abstract

This paper deals with species of Xiphinema, collected by the senior author in Northern Nigeria during 1973-1980. Four new species are described: in all four, males are rare or unknown. X. majus n. sp. strongly resembles X. ingens Luc & Dalmasso, 1964; females are almost indistinguishable. The J-I, J-2 and J-3 differ in tail shape (J-1 and J-2 also in odontostyle length) from the corresponding stages of X. ingens; moreover, in X. ingens males are common. X. dolosum n. sp. possesses a Z-organ (variable between specimens, in some almost rudimentary) and an elongate tail. It resembles X. hallei Luc, 1958 and X. limpopoense Heyns, 1977, but differs from both in tail shape (curved ventrad), tail length, and in being unisexual; from the former also in being much less slender, from the latter also in vulva position. X. fatikae n. sp. also has a Z-organ and an elongate tail; shape and length of tail differentiate it from X. hallei and X. limpopoense. From X. dolosum it differs in tail shape (long cylindrical terminal part) and vulva position (47-54 vs 39-42). X. oryzae n. sp. differs from all nominal species possessing a Z-organ in its very long tail (182-251 μm, c' = 6.6-8.8). Supplementary data are given on four species: X. bergeri Luc, 1974, the juvenile stages of which are described; X. nigeriense Luc, 1961 (specimens much longer than the type specimens); X. rotundatum Schuurmans Stekhoven & Teunissen, 1938, of which females and three juvenile stages were found; and X. oxycaudatum Lamberti & Bleve-Zacheo, 1979 (specimens with longer odontostyles than the types). Much material was found of the X. elongatum-X. vulgare complex and related species.