Perspiria Wieser & Hopper, 1967

Leduc, Daniel & Verschelde, Dominick, 2015, New Spirinia and Stygodesmodora species (Nematoda, Spiriniinae) from the Southwest Pacific, and a revision of the related genera Spirinia, Chromaspirina and Perspiria, European Journal of Taxonomy 118, pp. 1-25 : 7-8

Genus Perspiria Wieser & Hopper, 1967

Type species

Perspiria hamata Wieser & Hopper, 1967 .

Emended diagnosis (modified from Vincx & Gourbault 1989)

As for Spirinia (see below), but amphids almost never completely surrounded by body annulations (seldom more than half of amphids surrounded by body annulations), amphids are entirely surrounded by annuli in some rare cases; tail conico-cylindrical to filiform. Precloacal supplements usually present.

Valid species

P. elongata ( Castro et al., 2006) comb. nov. (synonym: Spirinia elongata Castro et al., 2006 ). Main diagnostic characters: “...one very small subventral tooth and two small dorsal teeth.” The drawings show amphids completely surrounded by body annulations, but the authors describe a conico-cylindrical tail with annuli which are more evident in the tail region compared to those along the rest of the body; thus, we transfer this species to Perspiria ( Castro et al. 2006: figs 3c, 4).

P. flagellata Vitiello, 1971 . Main diagnostic characters: “Amphid situated anterior to cuticle striations or partially surrounded by them”; very long and slender, almost filiform tail ( Vitiello 1971: fig. 29).

P. hamata Wieser & Hopper, 1967 . Drawing shows amphids only partially located within the body annuli; long and slender, almost filiform tail ( Wieser & Hopper 1967: fig. 18).

P. lara ( Silva et al., 2009) comb. nov. (synonym: Spirinia lara Silva et al., 2009 ). Main diagnostic characters: “Buccal cavity with one dorsal tooth and two minute ventrosublateral teeth” and “Cuticle with transverse striae..., less obvious in head region than in tail.” Drawing shows amphid with annulations to mid-level of amphid only, and tail is described as conico-cylindrical. This species is therefore transferred to Perspiria ( Silva et al. 2009: figs 2–3).

P. megamphida Vincx & Gourbault, 1989 . Drawing shows substantial portion of the amphids is located on the non-annulated lip region; conico-cylindrical tail with more prominent annuli ( Vincx & Gourbault 1989: fig. 1).

P. mokii Coles, 1987 . Main diagnostic character: ‘‘...cuticle appears smooth…’’, hence amphids are not surrounded by annuli; long and slender filiform tail ( Coles 1987: fig. 5).

P. papillata Vincx & Gourbault, 1989 . Drawing shows anterior half of amphids on non-annulated lip region and posterior half located within the annulated head region; long, conico-cylindrical tail ( Vincx & Gourbault 1989: fig. 2).

P. septentrionalis (Cobb, 1914) comb. nov. (synonyms: Spirinia septentrionalis (Cobb, 1914) and Spira septentrionalis Cobb, 1914 ). Main diagnostic characters: ‘‘From the anus the tail tapers for two-thirds of its length, then becomes cylindroid to the swollen terminus…’’ Drawings by Wieser (1954: fig. 126) clearly show the amphids in the head region with only their posterior half within the body annulations,

leaving the anterior half on the non-annulated head region. The tail is conico-cylindrical. Thus, this species is transferred to the genus Perspiria .

P. striaticaudata (Timm, 1962) . Tail long (11–17 abd) and slender with distinct annuli; thus it is transferred to Perspiria . Synonym: Spirina striaticaudata Timm, 1962 .

Species inquirenda

Perspiria sabulicola (Filipjev, 1918/1921) comb. nov. (synonym: Spirina sabulicola Filipjev, 1918 / 1921). This species was described with a ‘long tail (length 4 × width)’ and hence should be transferred to the genus Perspiria . However, as the species was described based on only one female, it is regarded as a species inquirenda.