Bursaphelenchus paraleoni n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) intercepted in Loblolly pine logs imported into China from the USA

Summary Bursaphelenchus paraleoni n. sp. was isolated from Loblolly pine, Pinus taeda, logs from the USA. The new species is characterised by a lateral field with three lines, 13-16 μm long stylet with small basal swellings, and the excretory pore located slightly posterior to the nerve ring. The male spicules are mitten-shaped, the lamina smoothly tapering towards the distal tip. The condylus is broadly rounded, with a small dorsally bent hook, rostrum triangular or conical with finely rounded tip, and cucullus absent. One midventral precloacal papilla, one adcloacal pair and two postcloacal pairs of genital papillae are present. The bursal flap is long and spade-like with the posterior margin truncate or irregular. Females have a small vulval flap 4-6 μm long, a post-vulval uterine sac extending for 34-49% of the vulva to anus distance, a very long tail with slight ventral curvature, mostly filiform and with a finely rounded terminus, occasionally bluntly rounded. Huge variation in the tails of males and females were observed in a culture. It is similar to species of B. eidmanni, B. leoni, and B. silvestris in the leoni-group but detailed phylogenetic analysis based on 18S, ITS and D2-D3 28S sequences confirmed it as a new species.

Bursaphelenchus parayongensis n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) found in packaging wood from China

Summary Bursaphelenchus parayongensis n. sp. was isolated from packaging wood of a consignment from China exported to Germany. The new species is characterised by the lateral field with three lines, 9-13 μm long stylet with small basal swellings, and the excretory pore located near the posterior part of metacorpus. The male spicules are mitten-shaped, the lamina smoothly tapers towards the distal tip. The condylus is broadly rounded, with a small dorsally bent hook, rostrum triangular with sharply pointed tip, and without cucullus. One precloacal papilla, one adcloacal pair and two postcloacal pairs of male papillae present, with the posteriormost pair forming ‘gland papillae’. Bursal flap long, spade-like with posterior margin truncate or irregular. Females have a small vulval flap of 2-3 μm long, and a post-vulval uterine sac extending for 55-77% of the vulva to anus distance. Tail cylindrical, mostly (about 70%) with a robust mucron, very short to less than 3 μm, but occasionally tail terminus bluntly rounded, without mucron. It is similar to species in subgroup 3 of the eggersi group including B. carpini, B. clavicauda, B. cryphali and B. yongensis, but morphologically different. Detailed phylogenetic analysis based on partial 18S, ITS and D2-D3 region of 28S sequences has confirmed the status of this nematode as a new species.

A new species of Aplectana Railliet & Henry (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) in Amphisbaena alba Linnaeus (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from Minas Gerais State, Brazil

In the present study, we described and illustrated Aplectana minaensis n. sp. (Ascaridida: Cosmocercidae) from the intestinal caecum of Amphisbaena alba Linnaeus (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae). Aplectana minaensis n. sp. is the 5th species described in Brazilian hosts and 58th species assigned to the genus. This species differs from its congeners by a set of unique characters in males: the presence of one unpaired precloacal papilla and gubernaculum, the papillae pattern (4+1:2:6) and total number (12+1), and the size of spicules (400–605 µm). Among the Aplectana species with an unpaired precloacal papilla and gubernaculum, only A. minaensis n. sp. and A. nebulosa Gomez, González & Sanabria, has less than 20 pairs of caudal papillae. However, these species differ in the number of caudal papillae in males (12+1 vs. 13–14+1, respectively); the number and arrangement of post cloacal papillae (6 pairs: 1st to 4th pairs ventral, 5th pair laterodorsal, 6th pairventral vs. five pairs: 1st and 2nd ventral, 3rd lateral, 4th ventral, 5th lateral); and by the size of spicules (413–600 vs. 85–126 µm).

Two new species of Cosmocercidae (Nematoda: Cosmocercoidea) of Leptodactylus macrosternum Miranda-Ribeiro (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Caatinga Biome, Brazil

In the current study, two new species of Cosmocercidae nematodes parasitizing the anuran Leptodactylus macrosternum (Leptodactylidae) from two localities in the municipality of Petrolina, sub-middle São Francisco river, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, were described. Oxysomatium petrolinensis n. sp. differs from all congeneric species for having the male caudal papillae distribution pattern unique in this genus, in which the last three pairs of pre-cloacal papillae are located lateroventrally on the anterior border of the cloacal aperture. Additionally, the new species has an unpaired medial precloacal papilla, seven pairs of postcloacal papillae, and a relatively unique spicule size. Oxyascaris caatingae n. sp. differs from all congeneric species mainly for having males with a medial unpaired precloacal papilla and a distribution pattern of caudal papillae unique to this species, being the only species of the genus with adcloacal papillae. The current study proposes the description of Oxysomatium petrolinensis n. sp., fourth species and the first report of this genus in hosts from the Neotropical region. In addition, it describes Oxyascaris caatingae n. sp., which is the fifth species of the genus.

Bursaphelenchus decraemerae n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) found in packaging wood from the USA

Bursaphelenchus decraemeraen. sp., isolated in Ningbo, China, from packaging wood made ofPinussp. imported from the USA, is described. It is characterised by the lateral field with three lines, a stylet 10-12 μm long with small basal swellings, excretory pore located 4-12 μm posterior to median bulb, spicule small, ventrally arcuate with lamina gradually tapering to distal tip, rostrum triangular pointed to conical, condylus elongated with bluntly rounded tip, and cucullus minute, barely visible. There are seven caudal papillae arranged as a single ventral precloacal papilla, one adcloacal pair and two postcloacal pairs. The bursal flap is narrow and oval. A small vulval flap is present in lateral view of the female and the tail is conical, strongly ventrally curved with the terminus finely pointed and sometimes appearing like a mucron. The new species is characterised by morphological and molecular analysis and is close toB. gerberaeandB. sakishimanus.

A new species ofProcyrnea(Nematoda: Habronematidae) parasitic inRhea pennata(Aves: Rheidae) from Patagonia, Argentina, with a key to species of the genus

Procyrnea choiquen. sp. is described from the lesser rhea,Rhea pennatad´Orbigny (Aves: Rheidae), from the Protected Natural Area Península Valdés, Chubut province, Argentina. The new species resemblesP. ficheuri,P. murrayi,P. excisiformis,P. dollfusi,P. haliasturi,P. anterovulvata,P. graculae,P. brevicaudata,P. uncinipenis,P. javaensis,P. ameerae,P. ornata,P. aegotheles,P. spiralis,P. ruschiiandP. aptera, mainly in the absence of lateral alae; but differs from its congeners by having a left spicule without barbs, the position of the vulva which is post-equatorial, the absence of lateral ridges, absent median precloacal papilla, asymmetrical caudal alae, males more than 6 mm long, left spicule 1 mm long and spicule ratio 1:3. Our results extend the taxonomy ofProcyrneaChabaud, 1958 and comprise the first report of a habronematid fromR. pennata.A key to species ofProcyrneais presented.

Bursaphelenchus saudi n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) found in packaging wood from Saudi Arabia

Bursaphelenchus saudi n. sp., isolated in Ningbo, P.R. China, from Pinus packaging wood imported from Saudi Arabia, is described. It is characterised by four lateral lines, excretory pore located between metacorpus and nerve ring (anterior to median bulb before cultured), presence of a thick vulval flap, post-uterine branch ca two-thirds of the vulva-anus distance long, female tail hook-like (slightly ventrally bent before cultured), long and conical, tapering to a bluntly rounded terminus, spicules transversely striated with weakly developed rostrum and condylus, a single precloacal papilla and three pairs of ventro-sublateral papillae (one pair precloacal, two pairs postcloacal just anterior to bursal flap and adjacent to each other). It belongs to the africanus-group of the genus Bursaphelenchus and is most close to B. paraburgeri, B. burgermeisteri and B. obeche. It is distinguished from other Bursaphelenchus species by morphology, ITS-RFLP patterns and partial 18S, ITS and 28S D2-D3 rDNA gene sequencing results.

Bursaphelenchus parantoniae n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) found in packaging wood from Belgium

Bursaphelenchus parantoniaen. sp. isolated in Ningbo, China, from packaging wood made ofPinussp. imported from Belgium, is described. It is characterised by a slim body (a = 32.6-51), lateral field with two lines, excretory pore locatedcaone metacorpal length posterior to median bulb, spicules stout and arcuate with triangular rostrum and flattened cucullus, and seven caudal papillae arranged as a single midventral precloacal papilla, one adcloacal pair and two postcloacal pairs. The vagina is inclined anteriorly, a vulval flap is present, the post-uterine branch extends for more than half of the vulva-anus distance, and the female tail is conical with a hyaline region and bluntly rounded terminus. Phylogenetic analyses showed thatB. parantoniaen. sp. clusters with thehylobianum-group and appears close toB. antoniae,B. chengi,B. hylobianumandB. niphades. The new species is distinguished from these species by morphology, ITS-RFLP patterns and molecular characters.

Bursaphelenchus posterovulvus sp. n. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) in packaging wood from Singapore

Bursaphelenchus posterovulvussp. n., isolated in Ningbo, P.R. China, from non-coniferous packaging wood from Singapore is described. It is characterised by a slim body (a = 24-43), lip region strongly offset, stylet with prominent and strongly sclerotised basal swellings, lateral field with four lines, excretory pore located at level of median bulb, hemizonid 30-40 μm posterior to excretory pore, vulva at 82-86% of total body length, post-uterine branch extending forcatwo-thirds of vulva-anus distance, female tail conical and short (c′ = 2.3-3.0) with a pointed terminus, spicules short (11-16 μm) and slightly arcuate, rostrum blunt and relatively short, dorsal and ventral limbs conspicuous and their distal ends separated, three pairs of ventro-sublateral papillae and a single precloacal papilla. The new species is distinguished from otherBursaphelenchusspecies by morphology, ITS-RFLP patterns and phylogenetic analyses.

A new species of Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from the giant mottled eel Anguilla marmorata in South Africa

A new species of ascaridoid nematode, Hysterothylacium anguillae sp. n. (family Anisakidae), is described based on specimens recovered from the stomach and intestine of the giant mottled eel Anguilla marmorata Quoy et Gaimard from the Mngazi River, South Africa, collected in March–April 2011. It is characterized mainly by poorly developed lateral alae, a very short intestinal caecum and a long ventricular appendix, spicules 1.11–2.14 mm long (representing 5.2–5.8 % of body length), number of caudal papillae (19–21 pairs of preanals, 2 adanals and 5 postanals), presence of a median precloacal papilla (= ventromedian organ), tail tips of both sexes covered by minute spines, and by the shape and structure of lips. This is the first nominal species of Hysterothylacium described from an African freshwater fish and the second species of this genus reported from freshwater eels of the family Anguillidae. The following Indian congeneric species are considered species inquirendae: Hysterothalacium aetobathum Lakshmi, 2005, H. carutti Lakshmi, Rao et Shyamasundari, 1993, H. channai Lakshmi, 1995, H. fossillii Lakshmi, 1996, H. japonicum Rajialakshmi, 1996, H. kiranii Lakshmi, 1993, H. longicaecum Lakshmi, Rao et Shyamansundari, 1993, H. narayensis Lakshmi, 1997, H. nellorensis Lakshmi, 1996, H. neocornutum Rajialakshmi, Rao et Shyamasundari, 1992 and H. punctati Lakshmi, 1995. Of them, H. japonicum and H. neocornutum are transferred to Iheringascaris Pereira, 1935 as I. japonica (Rajialakshmi, 1996) comb. n. and I. neocornuta (Rajialakshmi, Rao et Shyamasundari, 1992) comb. n.