Enchodelus maximus, Baqri & Jairajpuri, 1974, 1974

Baqri, Qaiser H. & Jairajpuri, M. Shamim, 1974, Nematodes Of High Altitudes In India V. Five New Species Of The Genus Enchodelus Thorne, 1939 (Dorylaimida), Nematologica 20 (2), pp. 131-146 : 136-140

ENCHODELUS MAXIMUS N. SP.

( Fig. 3 )

Measurements: See Table I .

Description:

Female: Body tapering slightly in neck region, posterior half curving ventrally on fixation. Cuticle finely striated, its thickness 20-23>m on tail tip. Lateral chords about 1 /4th of body-width near midbody. Dorsal, ventral and lateral body pores indistinct.

Lip region set off from body, about 1 /4th body-width at base of oesophagus. Amphids cup-shaped, irregularly curved slit-like apertures occupying about 3/4th of corresponding body-width. Odontostyle 3.5-3.6 head-widths long; its aperture about 1 /20th of odontostyle length. Guiding ring about 2.3 head-widths from anterior end. Odontophore about equal to odontostyle length.

Basal expanded portion of oesophagus about 37 % of neck length. The location of the dorsal oesophageal gland nucleus and first pair of subventral oesophageal gland nuclei and their orifices given in Table II. The second pair of subventral oesophageal gland nuclei and their orifice not visible. Nerve ring surrounding anterior slender part of oesophagus at 42-43 % of neck length from anterior end. Cardia rounded, surrounded by intestinal tissues. Prerectum 5.0-5.6, and rectum about one anal body-width(s) long.

Vulva a transverse slit. Vagina extending about 2/5 of width across the body, encircled at proximal end by cuticularization and at distal end by sphincter. Gonads amphidelphic. Uterus divided into a proximal glandular and a distal muscular part. Oviduct and uterus distinctly separated by sphincter. Spindle-shaped sperms present in uterus and oviduct. Ovaries reflexed; oocytes arranged first in single, then in double rows.

Tail 1.8-1.9 anal body-widths long, conoid, ventrally curved, with 2 caudal pores on each side, terminus rounded.

Male: Not found.

Type habitat and locality: Same as E. thornei .

Type specimens: Holotype mounted on slide H. A.5 lEnchodelus maximusll , paratype on slide H.A.5 lEnchodelus maximus /2.

ecies of the genus Enchodelus

Differential diagnosis: Enchodelus maximus n. sp. comes closest to E. nepalensis Zullini, 1973 , but differs in having a longer and slenderer body (L = 2.1 -2.3 mm and a = 23-30 in females of E. nepalensis ), shorter odontostyle (odontostyle 66-70 p,m in E. nepalensis ), and in having differently shaped amphids.

Figures

Fig. 3. Enchodelusmaximus n. sp. A. Female entire, B. Head end, C. Head end showing amphid, D. Expanded region of oesophagus, E. Posterior female sexual branch, F. Vulva region, G. Female tail end.