M. Shamim Jairajpuri

Studies on Mononchida of India. I. The genera Hadronchus, Iotonchus, and Miconchus and a revised classification of Mononchida, new order.

This is the first paper of the series on mononchs of India; it takes into account species of Hadronchus, Iotonchus, and Miconchus and it also deals with a revised classification of the group. Hadronchus andamanicus n. sp., has an apex of its dorsal tooth in posterior half of buccal cavity, mono-prodelphic gonad with a large posterior uterine sac, vulval papillae, caudal glands with terminal opening and a long filiform tail 6-10 anal body-widths long. Hadronchus shakili n. sp., is quite similar to H. andamanicus but has two ovaries. Iotonchus baqrii n. sp., is mono-prodelphic and unique in having large cuticularized pieces in the vagina at 9-12 μ from vulva. Iotonchus indicus n. sp., has two ovaries, basal dorsal-tooth, elongate-conoid tail 6-9 anal body-widths long and a subterminal opening to caudal glands. Miconchus dalhousiensis n. sp., has two ovaries, three equal sized basal teeth and tail about 4 anal body-widths long without caudal glands. Two known species, Iotonchus trichurus and Miconchus digiturus have also been recorded. A new order, Mononchida is proposed to contain the Bathyodontoidea (Clark, 1961) n. rank. and Mononchoidea (Chitwood, 1937) Clark, 1961. The superfamily Bathyodontoidea includes two families: Bathyodontidae Clark, 1961 and Mononchulidae (De Coninck, 1965) n. rank. The superfamily Mononchoidea includes the family Mononchidae Chitwood, 1937 and the following 4 new families and 2 new subfamilies: Mylonchulidae (Mylonchulinae and Sporonchulinae), Cobbonchidae, Anatonchidae and Iotonchidae.

Some new and known species of Dorylaimoidea.

Five new species of the superfamily Dorylaimoidea belonging to the genera Prodorylaimus Andrassy, 1959; Labronema Thorne, 1939; Oriverutus Siddiqi, 1970 and Aporcelaimellus Heyns, 1965 are described. Prodorylaimus obesus n. sp. is 1.63-1.80 mm long; with a = 26-33; b = 4.6-5.2; c = 26-30; V = 50-56; odontostyle = 21-27 μm; spicules = 52-57 μm and is closely related to P. rionensis and P. brasiliensis. Labronema nepalense n. sp. is 1.40-1.53 mm long; with a= 26-29; b = 3.8-4.0; c = 67-74; V = 58-59; odontostyle = 23-25 μm; and is closely related to L. ruttneri and L. octodurense. L. pararapax n. sp. is 1. 53-1.85 mm long; with a = 26-31; b = 4.0-4.8; c = 43-63; V = 56-59; odontostyle = 25-27 μm; spicules = 57-65 μm and is close to L. rapax and L. mauritiense. Oriverutus hastus n. sp. is 0.87-1.01 mm long; with a = 30-44; b = 3.0-3.8; c = 18-23; V = 49-50; odontostyle = 13-14 μm; spicules = 32 33 μm and is close to O. hastatus and O. arcuatus. Aporcelaimellus baqrii n. sp. is 1.82-2.05 mm long; with a = 28-32; b = 3.4-3.8; c = 63-67; V = 53-57; odontostyle = 24-26 μm; spicules = 63 μm and is close to A. calmus, A. conoidus and A. hylophilus. Amphidorylaimus flagellicauda, Prodorylaimium brigdammense, Ecumenicus monohystera, Labronema mauritiense, Lordellonema porosum, Poronemella porifer, Crateronema aestivum, Aporcelaimellus amylovorus, Aporcelaimellus obscurus and Aporcelaimellus laevis are reported for the first time from India with additional data. Males of Amphidorylaimus flagellicauda, Aporcelaimellus amylovorus and Discolaimus tenax are described for the first time.

Taxonomic Studies On the Genus Tylencholaimus De Man, 1876 (Dorylaimoidea) With a Key To the Species

The genus Tylencholaimus de Man, 1876 is removed from the Dorylaimidae and placed in the Leptonchidae. Consequently the subfamily Tylencholaiminae Filipjev, 1934 is also transferred to Leptonchidae; it is considered synonymous with Xiphinemellinae Jairajpuri, 1964, and contains the genera Tylencholaimus, Botalium, Discomyctus, Xenonchium and Xiphinemella. The genus Enchodelus remains in the Dorylaimidae. Tylencholaimus mirabilis (Butschli, 1873), the type species of Tylencholaimus, is redescribed from topotypes; T. brevicaudatus (Tarjan, 1953) is considered identical with it. A neotype is designated and the male, unknown so far, is described. Eight new species are described. T. pusillus has the same shape of lips as T. minimus de Man, but is much smaller and there are no radial striae in the cuticle. T. congestus and T. savaryi are characterized by didelphic gonads and by a number of large cells surrounding the vagina; in T. congestus the lip region is offset by a shallow constriction, the inner papillae do not project and the tail is hemispheroid; in T. savaryi the lips are offset by a deep constriction, the inner papillae project markedly and the tail is convex-conoid. T. crassus is also didelphic, but much stouter than T. congestus and T. savaryi, and there are no large cells around the vagina. T. formosus and T. airolensis are prodelphic, the rudiment of the posterior gonad is large and serves as receptaculum seminis; in T. formosus the oesophagus is expanded behind the middle, the two parts being separated by a marked constriction; in T. airolensis the two parts of the oesophagus are equal in length and not separated by a constriction. In T. maritus the rudiment of the posterior female gonad is very small, the tail is hemispheroid and males are numerous. T. paradoxus has a very fine spear and minute sclerotized pieces near the oral opening. In addition, a redescription is given of T. stecki Steiner, 1914. T. similis jairajpuri, 1965 is synonymized with T. lepionchoides Loof, 1964; T. macrurus Siddiqi, 1964 may also be identical with this species. A few additional details of T. viduus Jairajpuri, 1965 are given. A key to the species is presented.

Predatory Behaviour of Aqua Tides Thornei (Nygolaimina: Nematoda)

Studies on its predatory behaviour revealed that Aquatides thornei was not attracted towards live nor bisected prey nematodes, but made contact with the prey by chance: labial contact was necessary to initiate an attack. Several predators aggregated and fed on prey injured by another predator. No preference was shown for any part of the body for attack; Rhabditis sp. was selected in preference to Chiloplacus symmetricus. A. thornei seemed to paralyse the prey after its mural tooth was inserted deep into the body. Ingestion was intermittent with short periods of sucking activity, the duration of feeding on a single prey varied from 3-5 min to 4-6 h. Little variation was found in the daily rate of predation during 12 days. The rate of predation increased as the number of prey increased. Maximum predation occurred with 150 prey and least with 25 prey nematodes.

Reproductive Behaviour of Acrobeloides Sp

There is an inherent tendency for attraction between adults and juveniles of Acrobeloides sp. resulting in their aggregation. The males are strongly attracted towards females which results in mating. During copulation it was observed that the males appear to be more activated. The egg-laying is performed by the contraction of uterine muscles and due to an increased turgor pressure inside the body of the nematodes. The females as they grow older appear to be increasingly incapable of laying eggs which are retained within the uterus and undergo intra-uterine development. This type of development proceeds at a faster rate compared to the normal extra-uterine development. The increased frequency of pulsation of the oesophageal valve before hatching probably is an indication for hatching. The third-stage juveniles, young males, and egg-laying females are more active than the other stages in the life cycle of this nematode.

Three new species of actinolaim nematodes from India

Three new species of Actinolaimidae are described, two belonging to Paractinolaimus Meyl, 1957, and one to Westindicus Thorne, 1967. Paractinolaimus aruprus sp.n., is closely related to P. baldus Thorne, 1967 and P. microdentatus (Thorne, 1939) Meyl, 1957 but differs from the former in having a smaller odontostyle, anterior vulva and longer female tail while from the latter it differs in having longer female tail, shorter spicules and fewer ventromedian supplements. Paractinolaimus vulvapapillatus sp.n. is distinctive in being short, the posterior location of vulva and presence of papillae on both sides of vulva, and is closely related to P. indicus Khan & Ganguly, 1988 and P. vigor Thorne, 1967. Westindicus keralaensis sp.n. differs from all the three known species viz. W. brachycephalus Thorne, 1967, W. rapax Hunt, 1977 and W. cinctus (Cobb in Thorne, 1939) Thorne, 1967 in the presence of a comparatively short body, short female tail and many ventromedian supplements.

Sex attraction and copulation in Chiloplacus symmetricus (Nematoda: Acrobelinae).

Sex attraction was observed in the free-living nematode Chiloplacus symmetricus. Males were strongly attracted to female secretions but females did not respond to male secretions. Males were not attracted to 4th-stage female juvenile secretions and 4th-stage male juveniles were unresponsive to adult female secretions. Hence, only adult females produce sex attractants and only adult males respond to them. Males orienting to female secretions show different behavioural responses involving numerous non-directional turnings (klinokinesis) as well as a direct approach (klinotaxes). During copulation, the male coiled its posterior end around the female while the spicules probed for the vulval opening. The female took no active part in pairing.

Review of the genus Thornenema Andrássy, 1959 and proposal of Willinema n.gen.

Thornenema baldum is redescribed together with the description of its male here recorded for the first time and T. paradoxum is made its synonym. Chrysonema mauritiana is transferred to Thornenema. Thornenema viriosum, T. filiforme, T. africanum and T. delhiensis are considered as synonyms of T. mauritianum. Emended diagnosis, relationship and key to the valid species of Thornenema are given. Willinema n. gen. is proposed for Thornenema parvum differentiated from Thornenema in shape of its tail. Willinema indicum n. sp. from Tuticorin, India is described.

On a new nematode Boleodorus indicus n.sp. (Neotylenchidae: Tylenchida), from soil about the roots of onions, Allium cepa L.

SummaryA new plant parasitic nematode, Boleodorus indicus n. sp., from the soil about the roots of onions, Allium cepa L., has been described and illustrated and compared with the other two species of the genus. Only four female worms were available.

Studies on the genus Axonchium cobb, 1920 from India

Three new species of Axonchium, one each belonging to the subgenera Axonchium, Epaxonchium and Spiculaxonchium n. subgenus are described from India. The new subgenus Spiculaxonchium is similar to the subgenera Metaxonchium and Epaxonchium but differs from both in the shape of spicules and in having very weakly developed lateral guiding pieces and ventromedian supplements. Axonchium (Spiculaxonchium) spiculum n. sp. (L = 1.65-1.88 mm, V = 52-54) is similar to A. (M. ) vaginatum and A. (M.) leptocephalum. Axonchium (Axonchium) vallum n. sp. (L = 1.59-1.95 mm, V = 52-59, odontostyle = 10-12 μm, odontophore = 13-14 μm, spicules = 55-57 μm) has only 1-3 ventromedian supplements and is similar to A. (A. ) siddiqii and A. (A. ) shamimi. Axonchium (Epaxonchium) tacitum n. sp. (L = 1.76-1.96 mm; V = 55-57, odontostyle = 10-12 μm, odontophore = 15-16 μm, spicules = 52-57 μm, ventromedian supplements = 7-9) is similar to A. (E.) valvulatum. Males of A. (A. ) shamimi and A. (M.) vaginatum are reported for the first time. The latter species, which was originally described from a single female is redescribed.