Thelandros agama Adamson & Nasher, 1984

Rahimian, Hassan, Pazoki, Samaneh & Habashi, Sima Abbasi, 2014, Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Laudakia nupta nupta (Sauria: Agamidae) from Iran with Descriptions of Two New Species (Oxyuridea: Pharyngodonidae) and comments on the diagnostic features of Parapharyngodon and Thelandros, Zootaxa 3852 (1), pp. 51-82 : 60-61

Thelandros agama Adamson & Nasher, 1984

Figs. 8–9

General: Cephalic extremity flattened. Mouth subtriangular with three subventral cuticular flaps projecting into mouth from sides of buccal cavity. Excretory pore posterior to oesophageal bulb, lined by ring of thickened cuticle.

Male (based on 10 specimens; mean ± SD [range]): Cylindrical worms, 2.55 ± 0.54 mm (1.99–3.67 mm) long, 179 ± 20 (155–215) wide at level of excretory pore. Cephalic sense organs consisting of 4 papillae and 2 amphids surrounding mouth ( Fig. 9 A). Cuticle with annulations approximately 8 µm wide at mid-body. Oesophageal corpus 663 ± 70 (559–762) long; isthmus 43 ± 5 (35–50) long; bulb 89 ± 6 (78–96) long, 94 ± 7 (80–102) wide. Nerve ring and excretory pore, 149 ± 18 (129–195) and 983 ± 96 (902–1147), respectively, from anterior end. Three pairs of caudal papillae: anterior pair ventrolateral in position; second pair adcloacal, lateral in position; third pair located in middle of tail, 31 ± 3 (25–36) from tip of tail filament. Pre- and adcloacal papillae pedunculate. Tip of anterior cloacal lip serrated, with 3 serrations. Posterior cloacal lip bilobed. Caudal alae reduced, extend from base of adcloacal papillae to anterior third of tail filament. Spicule 64 ± 5 (59–72) long. Tail filament 68 ± 8 (59–83) long, terminal in position, directed posteriorly.

Female (Based on 10 specimens; mean ± SD [range]): Length 4.47 ± 0.67 mm (3.31–5.37 mm); width at level of vulva 394 ± 80 (300–558). Cephalic extremities include 6 processes, each in form of a central finger-like structure with 2 wide rectangular cuticular membranes on either side; Outer papillae and amphids raised on peduncles surrounding mouth ( Figs. 7 C, E). Oesophageal corpus length 740 ± 115 (641–1,052), isthmus length 42 ± 7 (34–52), bulb length 178 ± 22 (134–202), width 198 ± 26 (152–234). Nerve ring, excretory pore, and vulva 142 ± 15 (127–166), 1.42 ± 0.23 mm (1.20–1.78 mm), and 2.86 ± 0.56 mm (1.71–3.49 mm), respectively, from anterior end. Vulva located postequatorially, with prominent prevulvar swelling (not present in rare instances) ( Figs. 9 F). Reproductive structures arise posterior to oesophageal bulb. Anus 170 ± 31 (124–221) from posterior end; postanal region of body developed into short cone. Eggs oval, 98 ± 10 (72–107) long, 61 ± 4 (54–67) wide, with terminal operculum.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Scanning electron micrographs of Thelandros karkasensis sp. nov., male: A. General ventrolateral view of posterior end, B. Ventral view of cloacal region, with detail of anal lip, rod-shape precloacal papillae and flask shaped adcloacal papillae; C. Detail of precloacal papillae. Female: D. En face view, arrows indicate amphids; E. Lateral view of posterior end of body, showing vulva region and tail; F. Prevulvar extremities. Scale bars = 3 µm (C), 5 (D), 15 (B), 40 (F), 50 (A), 100 (E).

FIGURE 8. Thelandros agama. Male: A. General lateral view; B. En face view; C. Anterior end; D. Posterior end, ventral view; E. Posterior end, lateral view. Female: F. General lateral view; G. En face view; H. Anterior end; I. Vulva, lateral view; J. Posterior end, lateral view; K. Egg. Scale bars = 12 µm (G), 25 (B. H), 50 (C. D. E. K), 200 (I. J), 500 (A), 1000 (F).

FIGURE 9. Scanning electron micrographs of Thelandros agama. A. Cephalic end of male showing four cephalic papillae, arrows indicate amphids; B. Caudal region of male; C. Cephalic end of female; D. Tail of female; E. Detail of female cephalic lip with amphid; F. Ventral view of prevulvar extremity. Scale bars = 5 µm (E), 12 (A. C), 20 (B), 40 (D), 100 (F).