Enchodelus thornei, Baqri & Jairajpuri, 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 : 131-133

ENCHODELUS THORNEI N. SP. '

( Fig. 1 )

Measurements: See Table I .

Description:

Female: Body tapering gradually in neck region, in posterior half curved ventrally on fixation. Cuticle finely striated, thickest on tail tip (14- 16 jum). Lateral chords 1 /sth-I /4th of body-width near midbody. Dorsal, ventral, and lateral body pores not distinct.

Lip region set off from body, about I /4th- 13rd body-width at base of oesophagus. Amphids cup-shaped, curved slit-like apertures occupying less than 1/ 2 of corresponding body-width. Odontostyle 1.4-1.6 head-widths long; its aperture about 1 /8th of odontostyle length. Guiding ring 1.0- 1.2 head-widths from anterior end. Odontophore 1.5- 1.7 times the odontostyle length.

Basal expanded portion of oesophagus 37-40 % of neck region. The location of the oesophageal gland nuclei and their orifices given in Table II. Nerve ring surrounding anterior slender part of oesophagus at 41 -44 % of neck length from anterior end. Cardia rounded, tongue-shaped, surrounded by intestinal tissues. Oesophago-intestinal disc present. Prerectum 2.8-4.8, and rectum about one, anal body-width(s) long.

Vulva a transverse slit. Vagina extending inwards, about 2/5-1/ 2 of corresponding body-width long, encircled proximally by cuticularization. Gonads amphidelphic. Uterus divided into a proximal glandular and a distal muscular part. Oviduct and uterus separated by well developed sphincter. Ovaries reflexed; oocytes arranged in single row except in growth region.

Tail 1.9-2.3 anal body-widths long, with 2 caudal pores on each side, ventrally arcuate-conoid, terminus rounded.

Male: A single male was found from Nagar, district Kulu. Morphologically this is similar to females of the type population. Supplements consist of an adanal pair and 6 ventromedians, the latter spaced nearly at regular intervals. Spicules about 1.6 anal body-widths along median axis. Lateral guiding pieces slightly less than 1 /4th anal body-width. Copulatory muscle bands occupying the area up to last ventromedian supplement. Subventral papillae not seen. Prerectum 4.8 anal body-widths long, starting between the level of 5th and 6th ventromedian supplements.

Type habitat and locality: Soil around roots of unidentified grasses from Rohtang Pass (altitude approx. 14,000 ft.), district Kulu , H.P.

The male from soil around roots of deodar, Cedrus deodara, Nagar (altitude approx. 5,800 ft.), district Kulu, H.P.

Type specimens: Holotype mounted on slide H.A.5 lEnchodelus thorneill, paratypes mounted on slides H.A. 5 I Enchodelus thorneil 2-6.

Male specimen mounted on slide H.A. IOIEnchodelus thornei /7.

Differential diagnosis: Enchodelus thornei n. sp. comes close to E. arcuates Thorne, 1939 and E. magnificus ( Altherr, 1952) Altherr, 1963 . It differs from E. arcuatus in having differently shaped amphids, flanged odontophore (odontophore without flanges in E. arcuatus ), expanded part of oesophagus 37-40 % (expanded part about 50 % in E. arcuatus ), and rectum about 1 /2 of tail length (rectum about one tail length in E. arcuatus ), and from E. magnificus by having differently shaped lip region, wider odontostyle, flanged odontophore (odontophore without flanges in E. magnificus ), and a differently shaped uterus-oviduct junction. It can further be differentiated from E. magnificus by the absence of cutinized pieces around the oral aperture.

Figures

Fig. 1. Enchodelusthornei n. sp. A. Female entire, B. Head end, C. Head end showing amphid, D. Expanded region of oesophagus,!E. Posterior female sexual branch, F. Female tail end, G & H. Male tail ends.