Enchodelus constrictus, 1967

Shamim Jairajpuri, M. & Loof, P. A. A., 1967, On Some Species of Enchodelus Thorne, 1939 from India (Nematoda: Dorylaimidae), Nematologica 13 (4), pp. 501-508 : 504-506

ENCHODELUS CONSTRICTUS N. SP.

( Fig. 3 )

Dimensions:

Females (n = 5): L = 1.28-1.40 mm; a = 21-25; b = 4.9-5.5; c = 25-33; V = 13-2851-5518-29_

Female, holotype: L = 1.28 mm; a = 24; b = 4.9; c = 26; V =225321.

Males (n = 2): L = 1.30-1.45 mm; a = 26-32; b = 5.1 -5.4; c = 22 -24.

Body widely curved to ventral side in death, most strongly in the posterior half. Cuticle 3 p thick, smooth externally, internal layer with very fine transverse striation. Lateral chord one-fifth to one-sixth of body diameter. Lip region one-quarter as wide as body at base of oesophagus; thrice as wide as high, offset by depression; somewhat angular in contour; outer papillae hardly projecting, inner ones distinctly. Amphids stirrup-shaped, more than half as wide as lip region. Guiding ring double. Walls of stoma anterior to guiding ring thickened, though not so conspicuously as in E. macrodoru.r. Spear slender, thick-walled, 23-24 p long, or twice width of lip region; its width 2 p, aperture one-seventh of spear length. Extensions linear, not flanged, only the central sclerotized part distinct; 29-31t-t long. Length of neck 4.5-5.0 X length of spear plus extensions. Oesophagus widened at 60-65% of neck length from head end. Cardia roundish, narrower than base of oesophagus.

Female. Vulva a transverse slit; depth of vagina less than one-half of body width. Vagina distinctly sclerotized. Gonads paired, opposed and reflexed. A distinct sphincter between uterus and oviduct. No sperm seen. Dimensions of three intra-uterine eggs: 81-85 X 39-46 Tail conoid, curved to ventral side, 1.3-1.8 anal body widths long. Rectum about as long as anal body diameter, prerectum 3-4 X as long as rectum.

Male. Testes two, with apparently normal spermatozoa. Spicules 45-48fL long (measured along their axis), stout, heavily sclerotized, with lateral guiding pieces. Besides the adanal pair there are 4- 5 ventromedian supplements, the posterior one about two tail lengths from the anus; slightly spaced, the posterior three more closer together than the others. In one specimen there are about 18 conspicuous subventral papillae on each body side; in the other male, which is in poor condition, these were not visible.

Holotype. Female on slide WT 694 of the Nematode Collection of the Plantenziektenkundige Dienst, Wageningen, Netherlands. Paratype.r: One male and three females on slides WT 692-693 of the same collection; one male and one female in the collection of the Zoological Museum of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P., India.

Type habitat and locality. Soil around roots of ferns (identity not determined), Nainital , U.P., India.

Diagnosis.: E. constrictus n. sp. differs from E. rhaeticus Altherr, 1952 by the smaller body (against 1.6-2.0 mm) and posterior vulva (against 39-41%). The sphincter in the female gonads might also be a differentiating character. It is true that Altherr did not give a detailed description of the gonads of E. rhaeticu.r, but in the same paper he described the genus Heterodoru .r as differring from Enchodelu.r by the presence of a peculiar organ in the female gonads, so it is reasonable to assume that he paid special attention to the gonads in Enchodelu. r. From E, magnifictls ( Altherr, 1952) E. constrictus differs by smaller body (against 1.8-2.6 mm), lower value of "a" (21- 25 against 37) and absence of cutinized pieces around the oral aperture. For E. macrodoroide.r ( Steiner, 1914) see under E. longiden.r.

Figures

Fig. 3. Enchodelu.rconstrictus n. sp. A: female, oesophageal region; B: female, anterior end; C: female gonad; D: female tail; E: male tail.