Plectus acuminatus Bastian, 1865

Vinciguerra, Maria Teresa, 1984, Description Of Two New Species And Remarks On Some Known Species Of Nematodes From Sardinia, Animalia 11 (1 - 3), pp. 127-134 : 127-128

Plectus acuminatus Bastian, 1865

(Figs. 1-2)

♀ (n = 10): L =0.52-0.75 mm; a =l7-24; b =3.6-4.4; c=7-10; V =47-51 %

♂L=0.55 mm; a=25 b= 4.2 c=8

intersex: L =0.85 mm; a =25; b =4.0; c = 8; V =49%

Ten females, two males and an intersexuate specimen were found in moss samples. The characteristics of female of P. acuminatus are well known, since this species is widespread and rather common; males, on the contrary, which were described for the first time by Brzeski (1963) on a single specimen, are very rare. Measurements were taken only of one of the two males found in the Sardinian population, since the other was broken anteriorly. General characters of male are similar to those of female. Testes are two, opposed. Spicules, slightly curved, are 22-26 μm long; gubernaculum dorsal process is 4-6 μm long, its ventral arm 4 μm. Two preanal well developed supplementary tubuli are present in one specimen; a single one in the other. A preanal ventral seta is present.

The intersexuate specimen was provided with a complete and normally developed female genital apparatus and with three preanal supplementary tubuli similar to those of males, while spicules were lacking.