Female Tail Research Articles

Basilaphelenchus gorganensis n. sp. (Aphelenchoidea, Tylaphelenchinae) from wood from northern Iran

AbstractBasilaphelenchus gorganensis n. sp. is described and illustrated from wood and bark of a dead tree from northern Iran. The new species is characterized by female body length (415–559 µm), three‐lined lateral fields, a sclerotized cephalic vestibule and cephalic framework, thin stylet with three elongate backwardly directed knobs, small spherical to oval metacorpus, with small and posteriorly located valve, simple vulva without any flap apparatus, 59‐ to 79‐µm‐long post‐vulval uterine sac, functional rectum and anus and dorsally convex, ventrally concave, usually ventrally bent conical female tail with a sharp tip. Males are common, apparently functional and characterized by well‐curved spicules, three pairs of small caudal papillae and no bursa at tail tip. Molecular phylogenetic inferences using partial sequences of small and large subunit ribosomal RNA genes (SSU and LSU rDNA) from different isolates of the new species revealed it differs from currently sequenced species and belongs to the Tylaphelenchinae clade.

Description of Bursaphelenchus irokophilus n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C. Berg wood imported into Italy from Cameroon

Summary A new species of Bursaphelenchus, extracted from unprocessed logs of Milicia excelsa from Cameroon and arriving in the port of Leghorn, Tuscany, Central Italy, is described. Bursaphelenchus irokophilus n. sp. is based upon morphological and molecular characters and is characterised by the two-lined lateral field, mitten-shaped spicule possessing cucullus and well-developed and slightly dorsally curved condylus with narrowly rounded tip, female vulva with side flap, and long, smoothly tapering and strongly ventrally recurved female tail. The new species belongs to the abietinus-group and is similar to, but distinguished from, B. abietinus and B. rainulfi by the position of secretory-excretory pore, longer and slender female tail and some morphometric values. In addition, the phylogeny based on SSU and D2-D3 LSU regions shows that this species belongs to the abietinus-group, the relationship among the species of this group being discussed.

Description of Aphelenchoides tabarestanensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from Pinus brutia in Northern Iran

Summary Aphelenchoides tabarestanensis n. sp. was isolated during a survey of nematodes associated with bark samples of pine trees (Pinus brutia) in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. The new species is characterised by body length of 656 (580-786) μm (females) and 490 (480-500) μm (males), weakly annulated cuticle, four lines in the lateral field, and an offset lip region. The stylet is 10.5 (10-11) μm long and has small basal swellings. The excretory pore is located at nerve ring level and the hemizonid was not seen. The post-vulval uterine sac is 40.8 (38-43) μm long, the spicules are relatively short (18-19 μm in dorsal limb), and the male tail has the usual three pairs of caudal papillae (2 + 2 + 2). The female tail is subcylindrical with two or three minute processes at the tip. The new species belongs to the Group 3 category of Aphelenchoides species and is close to seven known species of the genus, namely: A. asteromucronatus, A. besseyi, A. fujianensis, A. goodeyi, A. ritzemabosi, A. siddiqii, and A. stellatus, but differs by body size, shape of tail mucron, stylet length, size of spicules, and length of post-vulval uterine sac. Phylogenetic analysis based on small subunit (SSU) and partial large subunit (LSU) sequences of rRNA supported the morphological results.

Bursaphelenchus carpini n. sp., B. laciniatae n. sp. and B. cryphali okhotskensis n. subsp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from Japan

Summary Two new species and a new subspecies of Bursaphelenchus are described. Bursaphelenchus carpini n. sp. and B. cryphali okhotskensis n. subsp. were isolated from Cryphalus carpini emerged from a dead log of a Carpinus sp. collected in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, and from C. piceae emerged from a dead log of Abies sachalinensis collected in Hokkaido, Japan, respectively. Meanwhile, B. laciniatae n. sp. was isolated from the bark of dead Ulmus laciniata, which harboured Scolytus esuriens galleries, collected in Hokkaido, Japan. These three species phylogenetically belong to the eggersi/eremus-group clade and share common typological characters such as a relatively slender body, three-lined lateral field, male spicule with a well-developed condylus, short and wide blade (calomus-lamina complex) and lack of clear cucullus. These three species and subspecies can be distinguished from one another and their close relatives by the condylus shape, female tail shape and phylogenetic and biological characters.

The morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of Pratylenchus vulnus Taiwan strawberry isolate

Abstract Pratylenchus vulnus was discovered in nematode-distributing fields from symptomatic seedling roots and corresponding rhizosphere soil on strawberry farms in Taiwan. Microscopic measurements and scanning electron microscope observations of both sexes of the nematode coincided with the general morphological descriptions of the species. Four different types of female tail termini were observed, including pointed, digitate, smooth and tapering. Molecular analysis of the ribosomal RNA sequence (SSU, ITS and LSU regions) and the mitochondria COI gene sequences confirmed the species identification. Phylogenetic analysis suggested no specific geographic linkage of the Taiwan population to other previously reported populations.

Molecular and morphological characterisation of Cryptaphelenchus baujardi n. sp. (Nematoda: Ektaphelenchinae), a new species based on two populations from Iran

SummaryCryptaphelenchus baujardin. sp. is described and illustrated based on two populations from Golestan province, northern Iran. The new species is characterised by female and male body length of 224 (190-261) and 215 (195-229)μm, respectively, offset cephalic region with a shallow constriction, delicate stylet 6.6 (6.0-7.0)μm long, four incisures in the lateral field, presence of a rudimentary post-uterine sac in the female gonoduct, elongate-conoid female tail ending in an acute to finely rounded terminus, male tail conical, male with seven caudal papillae and delicate spicules. The new species shows a strong resemblance toC. varicaudatusandC. iranicus, but has a sclerotised mass near the tip of the spicule and an indistinct spermatheca. Phylogenetic analyses based on both partial SSU and LSU rDNA sequences confirm its status as a new taxon.

Description of Acrobeles aenigmaticus sp. n. (Rhabditida: Cephalobidae), an unusual species with a poorly developed vulva, from the Kalahari Desert (Ngamiland, Botswana)

Summary Acrobeles aenigmaticus sp. n. is described from the North-West District (Ngamiland) of Botswana, which forms part of the Kalahari Desert. This new species is characterised by its body length, ‘double’ cuticle bearing numerous interannular punctations, lateral fields with two longitudinal incisures, lips triangular bearing triangular tines with variation in their morphology, labial probolae bifurcated with prongs bearing triangular tines, pharyngeal corpus 2.8-3.8 times the isthmus length, spermatheca 0.8-1.8 times the body diam., post-vulval sac 1.3-2.2 times the body diam., vagina bent to the left side, vulva located left subventral and very reduced, female tail conoid-elongate, male tail conoid, spicules 24-29 μm and gubernaculum 13-17 μm in length. Molecular characterisation of 18S and 28S rRNA shows the relationship of this species with other species of Acrobeles that also present a ‘double’ cuticle, as well as with other cephalobids (e.g., Cervidellus alutus) with the same characteristic in terms of its cuticle.

Bursaphelenchus michalskii sp. n. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), a nematode associate of the large elm bark beetle, Scolytus scolytus Fabr. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Dutch elm disease-affected elm, Ulmus laevis Pall.

Summary Bursaphelenchus michalskii sp. n. is described from the bark of the European white elm, Ulmus laevis. All propagative stages of the nematode were found in larval galleries of the large elm bark beetle, Scolytus scolytus, and in overlapping gallery systems of this species and the small European elm bark beetle, S. multistriatus. Dauer juveniles of the new nematode are transmitted to new breeding trees under elytra of adult S. scolytus. Bursaphelenchus michalskii sp. n. is characterised by the female body length of 953 (838-1108) μm and male body length of 893 (811-971) μm, very slender body (a = 53.9 (46.1-58.5) and 60.9 (52.2-72.0) in female and male, respectively), lateral fields with three incisures (two bands), excretory pore usually located anterior to the median bulb, lack of vulval flap, long post-uterine sac, relatively small spicules 12.3 (10.8-13.3) μm long with no cucullus and with distinct, somewhat thorn-like, dorsally bent or reflexed condylus and a conical or digitate rostrum, and the arrangement of the seven male caudal papillae (i.e., a single precloacal ventromedian papilla (P1), one pair of adcloacal ventrosublateral papillae (P2) at or just anterior to cloacal slit, one ventrosublateral, postcloacal pair (P3) located at ca 60% of the tail length, posterior to cloacal slit, and one pair (P4) of ventrosublateral papillae located near the base of the bursa). The newly described species shares most of the key morphological characters with members of the eremus-group (sensu Braasch et al., 2009). However, B. michalskii sp. n. is unique amongst Bursaphelenchus species by a combination of female tail and spicule shape, excretory pore position, and other morphometric characters. These findings were confirmed by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 18S and 28S rDNA regions and by the unique molecular profile of the ITS region (ITS-RFLP).

Morphological and molecular characterization of two new species of the genus Aporcelinus Andrássy, 2009 (Nematoda, Dorylaimida, Aporcelaimidae) from the USA, with new insights on the phylogeny of the genus.

Two new species of the genus Aporcelinus from the USA are described and illustrated. Aporcelinus floridensis sp. n. is characterized by its 1.12-1.52 mm long body, lip region offset by marked constriction and 14.5-17.0 μm broad with perioral liplets, odontostyle 16.5-20.0 μm at its ventral side and 1.1-1.2 times the lip region diameter, neck 316-395 μm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 43-48% of total neck length, uterus simple and 33-56 μm long or 0.8-1.2 times the corresponding body diameter, V = 48-54, female tail conical (36-49 μm long, c = 27-41, c' = 1.2-2.0) with finely rounded terminus and no hyaline portion, and male absent. Aporcelinus paolae sp. n. is characterized by its 1.29-1.80 mm long body, lip region offset by marked constriction and 14-16 μm broad, odontostyle 15-17 μm at its ventral side and 1.0-1.1 times the lip region diameter, neck 314-397 μm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 43-53% of total neck length, uterus tripartite and 128-164 μm long or 2.6-3.6 times the corresponding body diameter, V = 53-57, female tail conical (30-39 μm long, c = 40-51, c' = 1.1-1.3) with finely rounded terminus and variably re-curved dorsad, male tail conical (27-36 μm, c = 39-59, c' = 0.9-1.2), ventrally straight and dorsally convex, spicules 48-54 μm long, and 7-9 irregularly spaced ventromedian supplements lacking hiatus. The analyses of the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA (LSU) gene sequences of the two new species confirmed the monophyly of the genus, based upon currently available data, showing a close relationship between the genera Aporcelinus and Makatinus, and justified the placement of Aporcelaimellus, Makatinus and Aporcelinus under the subfamily Aporcelaimellinae.

DESCRIPTION OF THELANDROS AEGYPTI (NEMATODA: PHARYNGODONIDAE) FROM THE EGYPTIAN SPINY−TAILED LIZARD, UROMASTYX AEGYPTIA (SQUAMATA: AGAMIDAE) IN EGYPT

Thelandros aegypti (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) isolated from the large intestine of the Egyptian spiny−tailed lizard, Uromastyx aegyptia, in North Sinai deserts, Egypt were described by means of light microscopy as a first description from this host in Egypt. 18 out of 25 (72%) of the examined specimens were naturally infected. The recovered nematodes characterized by the followings; the mouth bounded by three bilobed lips, the presence of three pairs of caudal papillae in male, the absence of gubernaculums, the post−equatorial vulva and the tail of female was suddenly constricted behind anus to form a terminal spike. Male was cylendrical with distinct posterior truncation, 3.0 (2.71-3.7) mm long; 0.24 (0.20-0.33) mm wide. Three pairs of anal Papillae were recorded; the first and the second were pre and perianal and the last pair immediately behind the rounded posterior region of the worm. The tail was narrow, sharply pointed and measured 0.052-0.072 mm in length with selender spicule measured 0.045-0.077mm long. Female was 4.34 (3.32-4.73) mm long, 0.29 (0.24-0.39) mm wide, vulva was post-equatorial, ovary was amphidelphic, the anterior part extended to the level of excretory pore and the posterior ovary extended posteriorly to the anal opening. Uteri were divergent. Egg was oval, slightly flattened and measured 65.4-79.2 μm long and 44.3-74 μm wide. The described parasite was compared with different species of the same genus from different hosts. It was found that morphometrically, the present species was more or less different from the comparable species and the only morphologically similar species was Thelandros aegypti.

Molecular and morphological characterization of Paurodontoides siddiqii n. sp. (Nematoda: Hexatylina, Sphaerulariidae) associated with bark samples of Pinus eldarica from western Iran.

A new species of Paurodontoides, P. siddiqii n. sp., is described and illustrated based on its morphological, morphometric, and molecular characters. The new species is characterized by a female 550-729 μm long, lip region continuous with body contour, stylet length 7.0-8.0 μm long or c. 1.0-1.2 times the lip region diameter, lateral fields with four smooth incisures, excretory pore at 85-125 μm from anterior end located at the base of the pharyngeal bulb or posterior to it, basal pharyngeal bulb with a short posterior extension projecting into the intestine, monodelphic-prodelphic reproductive system with prominent 19-22 μm long post-uterine sac, and elongate conoid tail with a filiform terminus. The new species is compared with two known species of the genus. It differs from the type species of the genus, P. linfordi, by having slightly shorter stylet, lateral field with smooth incisures, different position of the excretory pore, and absence of male. Compared to P. latus, the new species has a shorter body, shorter stylet, different position of the excretory pore, female tail shape and absence of male. The new species was also compared with close species of the genus Paurodontus because of lateral field marked with four lines, asymmetrical stylet knobs and absence of male. Molecular phylogenetic studies of the new species using partial sequences of 18S rDNA revealed that it forms a clade with a species of the genus Ficotylus. In phylogenetic analyses using partial sequences of the 28S rDNA D2-D3 domain, the new species formed a monophyletic group with a species of the genus Veleshkinema and Sphaerularia spp. (Sphaerulariinae).

Description of Drilocephalobus moldavicus Lisetskaya, 1968 (Rhabditida: Osstellidae) from Kelso Dunes, Mojave National Preserve, California, USA.

Specimens of Drilocephalobus moldavicus are described from the Kelso Dunes area, Mojave National Preserve, southern California. This is the first record of the genus in North America. The specimens of this population are characterized by a body length of 322-417 µm in females and 403 µm in the male; cuticle finely annulated; lateral field with five incisures, extending to phasmid and two incisures extending almost to tail terminus in both sexes; lip region helmet-shaped, offset from body contour; lips amalgamated; stoma with thin walls lacking sclerotizations; pharynx without distinct divisions, cylindrical, widening slightly at about 1/3 of its length and basally, without valves; spermatheca 14-19 µm long; postvulval uterine sac 25-27 µm long; spicules 23 µm long; and female tail conoid-elongate with rounded terminus.

Hidden diversity in mushrooms explored: A new nematode species, Neodiplogaster unguispiculata sp. n. (Rhabditida, Diplogastridae), with a key to the species of Neodiplogaster

Neodiplogaster unguispiculata n. sp. is based on morphological and molecular data. N.unguispiculata sp. n. was isolated from Chondrostereum purpureum in Lappersheide, Tessenderlo, Belgium and cultured on potato dextrose agar seeded with fungi. N.unguispiculata sp. n. is characterised by a unique combination of the following traits: the morphology of the spicules that are distally claw-like bending ventrally, the shape of the gubernaculum that envelope the spicules, the well-developed peloderan bursa with a notched tip, a bursa spanning from anterior the cloaca to tail tip, and by the long, filiform female tail. N.unguispiculata sp. n. shows stomatal dimorphism. Phylogenetic analyses shows that monophyly of Neodiplogaster is maximally supported by both maximum likelihood and Bayesian interference methods. Various species delimitation methods appear to produce a variety of different species hypotheses in Neodiplogaster. Our study shows that molecular can support different species hypotheses. Finally, a key to the species of Neodiplogaster is provided.Zoobank LSID: http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B8C08977-08A6-4D7D-9520-69E0696F98FB.

Morphological comparative study of four new species of the genus Aulolaimus de Man, 1880 (Nematoda, Aulolaimidae) from the Iberian Peninsula

Four new species of the genus Aulolaimus are described from natural and semi-natural habitats of southern Iberian Peninsula: Aulolaimuscribatus sp. n., Aulolaimus. distortus sp. n., Aulolaimuslabiostellatus sp. n. and Aulolaimusquercophilus sp. n. They are studied with light- and scanning electron microscopy. Several morphological features are especially useful to characterize the new species and to distinguish them from their relatives: labial disc, cuticle sculpturing (number of longitudinal ridges, shape and arrangement of punctations, etc.), ventrosublateral and median pieces of the vagina, female tail and, male secondary sexual characters.

Convergent evolution of the tradeoff between egg size and tail fork depth in swallows and swifts

Convergent evolution provides strong evidence of the power of natural selection, particularly for distantly related taxa. Swallows and swifts are such distantly related taxa; both are specialised to feed on flying insects and have similar morphological features, such as long wings. These birds also exhibit deeply forked tails in some species, but their function remains unclear; some have argued that fork tails have evolved due to sexual selection to attract mates, while others claim that viability selection for efficient foraging favours fork tails. A recent phylogenetic analysis found the negative relationship between female tail fork depth and egg size in swallows perhaps due to foraging costs of fork tails during egg formation, but its generality remains unclear. Here, using swifts, which differ from swallows by foraging on weak‐flying insects, we found that egg size significantly decreased with increasing female fork depth. Because female fork depth was not significantly related to clutch size, clutch size would not compensate for the relationship between egg size and fork depth. The current finding using swifts, together with the previous finding in swallows, provide strong support for an evolutionary tradeoff between the female plumage ornament and reproductive investment, as predicted by sexual selection theory.

Phasmarhabditis safricana n. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae), a parasite of the slug Deroceras reticulatum from South Africa.

During a survey for mollusc-associated nematodes in South Africa, a new Phasmarhabditis species was isolated from the invasive slug, Deroceras reticulatum, collected from a nursery near George in the Western Cape province. The nematode was identified using a combination of morphological, morphometric, molecular, and phylogenetic techniques. The new species, P. safricana n. sp., is characterised by the cupola-shaped tail of the female with a spike, small, non-protruding phasmids, a fingerprint-like pattern of the cuticle covering the female tail, toothlike cephalic structures of the infective juveniles, and the distinct molecular characteristics of the species. The molecular phylogeny of the new species, as inferred from its SSU and LSU rRNA gene, places P. safricana n. sp. in close proximity to P. papillosa. Virulence tests were conducted, which demonstrated that P. safricana n. sp. caused significant mortality to the European invasive slug, D. reticulatum. The new species brings the total complement of the genus to eleven species.

Two new species of the genus Metaxonchium Coomans Nair, 1975 (Nematoda, Dorylaimida, Belondiridae) from Vietnam.

Two new species of the genus Metaxonchium are described from natural habitats of Vietnam. Metaxonchium bonkowskii sp. n. is characterized by its 1.69-2.23 mm long body, lip region offset by weak constriction and 9.5-10.5 µm broad, odontostyle 11-13 µm long, neck 673-868 µm long with the pharyngeal expansion occupying 66-77% of its length, anterior genital branch reduced to a uterine sac 75-135 µm long or 4-7% of body length, posterior uterus tetrapartite and including a Z-like differentiation, V = 51-55, and female tail short and rounded (37-51 µm, c = 66-97, c' = 0.5-0.7). Metaxonchium silvaticum sp. n is characterized by its 1.28-1.43 mm long body, lip region offset by weak depression and 7.0 µm broad, odontostyle 8-9 µm long, neck 502-630 µm long with the pharyngeal expansion occupying 65-76% of its length, anterior genital branch reduced to a uterine sac 65-80 µm long or 4-6% of body length, posterior uterus tripartite, non-echinophor, V = 52-57, tail short and rounded (18-23 µm, c = 56-74, c' = 0.6-0.8) with abundant blister-like or saccate bodies, spicules 41 µm long, and seven spaced ventromedian supplements.

Two new species of nematodes of the genus Cloacina (Strongyloidea: Cloacininae) parasitic in the stomachs of red kangaroos, Osphranter rufus (Marsupialia: Macropodidae)

ABSTRACTTwo new species of Cloacina (Nematoda: Strongyloidea) are described from the stomach of the red kangaroo, Osphranter rufus. Cloacina xericola sp. nov. is described from a single locality, Menzies, in Western Australia. It differs from all congeners in having a highly recurrent vagina, six leaf crown elements, a lack of bosses in the lining of the oesophagus and extremely long spicules. Cloacina eris sp. nov. is most closely related to C. ares Beveridge, 1998 in the features of the buccal capsule and oesophagus, but differs in the position of the deirid, being posterior to the nerve ring in the new species, as well as in the form of the spicule ala which diminishes towards the tip in the new species, the greater length of the female tail, and the convoluted vagina of the new species. Cloacina eris is reported from both Western Australia and Queensland and at one locality in western Queensland, both C. eris and C. ares co-occur. Additional geographical records are provided for C. ares.

Ditylenchus sarvarae sp. n. (Tylenchina: Anguinidae) from Iran.

During a survey of soil nematodes in Iran, a new species of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 was discovered. Ditylenchus sarvarae sp. n. is characterised by its body length (1.0-1.4 mm), lateral field with seven incisures and without areolation, long postuterine sac (1.8-2.8 times the corresponding body diameter) and conical female tail with pointed tip (68-89 μm long, c = 13.7-18.2, c' = 4.2-5.1). Male specimens have conical tails (64-70 μm long, c = 14.5-16.7, c' = 4.0-4.5), spicules (22-26 μm long) and gubernaculum (8-10 μm long). Measurements and illustrations are provided for this new species. A molecular study of the 28S rDNA region of D. sarvarae sp. n. demonstrates that the Iranian species belongs to a separate group compared with the other molecularly characterized species of genus Ditylenchus.

Redescription of Macrolaimus canadensis Sanwal, 1960 and M. ruehmi Andrássy, 1966 (Nematoda, Rhabditida, Chambersiellidae), and new data on M. crucis Maupas, 1900 - CORRIGENDUM.

Three species belonging to the genus Macrolaimus, namely M. canadensis, M. crucis and M. ruehmi, have been obtained from areas of natural vegetation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Corsica (France), the Czech Republic and Spain. These three species are characterized by the body length of males and females, stomatal proportion of the gymnostom and cheilostom, excretory pore position, postvulval uterine sac length, male and female tail length and morphology, and the length and morphology of the spicules and gubernacula. The occurrence of M. crucis in Spain has, as a result of this study, now also been expanded to a larger area of the southern Iberian Peninsula. Morphological and morphometrical analyses showed that M. canadensis and M. ruehmi are very similar, sharing apomorphic characters. In contrast, M. crucis has plesiomorphic characters. Description, measurements and illustrations are provided for these three species.