Tripylella muscusi, Prado-Vera, Ignacio Cid Del, Ferris, Howard & Nadler, Steven A., 2016

Prado-Vera, Ignacio Cid Del, Ferris, Howard & Nadler, Steven A., 2016, Five new species of the genus Tripylella (Nematoda: Enoplida: Tripylidae), Zootaxa 4109 (2), pp. 198-217 : 204-205

Tripylella muscusi sp. n.

( Fig.1 . E–H, Fig. 3 A–D)

Measurements: See Tables 1 and 2.

Female (n=14): Body an open C shape after relaxation. Cuticle 1 Μm thick, with fine striations and sparse anastomoses along the body. Abundant pores and a few small setae present along and around the body. Labial region rounded 14–15 (14±0.1) Μm wide; inner labial papillae conical; outer labial setae conical, 3 Μm long; cephalic setae small, 1 Μm long, and separated from outer labial setae by <1 Μm so that there appears to be a single whorl of six longer and four shorter setae. The single stomal chamber contains two subventral teeth 1–2 (1.9±0.07) Μm anterior to the small dorsal tooth, which is 10–17 (15±0.4) Μm from the head end; amphids caliciform, 8–15 (10.9±0.5) Μm from anterior end of the body; pharynx-vulva distance 212–292 (258±5.9) Μm; cardia very conspicuous, 16–29 (24± 1.0) Μm long and 20–29 (24±1.0) Μm wide, composed of six cells with the median cells largest; excretory pore observed in six specimens at 21–110 (82±9.3) Μm from the anterior end.

Female gonads short and reflexed, the anterior 61–118 (79±4.9) Μm long and 6.5–13 (8.3±0.5)% of the body length and the posterior 33–123 (84±9.0) Μm long and 3.3–13 (7.8±1.1)% of the body length; vulva with slightly protruding lips ornamented with longitudinal striations, and conspicuous pear-shaped cuticular structures surrounding the vagina; vulva 274–379 (339±7.8) Μm anterior to the anus; rectum 20–25 (22±0.5) Μm long or 0.7–1.0 (0.9±0.02) times anal body diameter; tail cylindroid, 122–160 (140±2.9) Μm long and 14–17 (15±0.2)% of body length, narrowing abruptly at 27–54 (39±1.8)% of its length, ending in a small spinneret, 2–3 Μm long.

Male: Unknown.

Type Locality and Habitat: Moss on trunk of oak tree, Quercus peduncularis Née , in a forested area of San Pablo Ixayo, Texcoco, México State, México N19°28'06.8", W98°47'15.2", 2587 m above sea level. Collector: I. Cid del Prado-Vera on October 10, 2008.

Type Specimens: Holotype female ( CNHE 9055) and paratypes ( CNHE 9056) in CNHE; paratypes in CNCP and NCE.

Etymology: The specific epithet indicates the type locality habitat of the species is moss.

Diagnosis and Relationships: Tripylella muscusi sp. n. is characterized by the body length (average 0.94 mm), abundant body pores and a few somatic setae along the body, pharynx length (average 201 Μm), tail length (average 140 Μm), the thin, finely-striated cuticle with anastomoses, the anterior position of the subventral teeth in relation to the small dorsal tooth, with all teeth in a single stomal chamber, the absence of cervical setae, the presence of an excretory pore, the slightly protruding vulval lips and pear-shaped sclerotized pieces in the vaginal region.

Tripylella muscusi sp. n. is similar to T. intermedia ( Bütschli, 1873) Brzeski & Winiszewska-Ślipińska, 1993 in the length of the body, abundant body pores, the shape of the tail, the position of the excretory pore, and the sizes of the anterior and posterior cephalic setae. It differs in having a single stomal chamber, the anterior position of the subventral teeth, the position of the vulva 47–51 (49±0.3)% vs. 51–52%, in the c ratio, 6.0–7.2 (6.7±0.09) vs. 7.3–8.3 (7.7) and in the ć ratio, 4.9–5.6 (5.3±0.06) vs. 3.6–4.5 (4.1). Tripylella muscusi sp. n. is close to T. mexicana n. sp. but distinguished as indicated in the description of that species.

Molecular Characteristics: See Molecular Diagnostics section.

Comments: We examined specimens of a population of Tripylella sp. from San Diego Huehuecalco, Amecameca, México State, México. They resemble Tripylella muscusi sp. n. in the body and pharynx length, position of the vulva, the anterior position of the subventral teeth in relation to the dorsal tooth, the length of the tail and the abrupt narrowing of the tail. The Amecameca population differed in the distance of amphid apertures to the anterior end of body, in the distance of posterior end of pharynx to anus, in the size of narrow part of the tail and the smaller protrusion of the vulval lips. We consider that the Amecameca population does not differ morphologically from T. muscusi sp. n..

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tripylella mexicana sp. n. Female (A. D). A. Entire body; B: Anterior end; C: Pharyngo-intestinal junction; D: Tail. Tripylella muscusi sp. n. Female (E. H) E: Anterior end; F: Pharyngo-intestinal junction; G: Vulva region; H: Tail.

FIGURE 3. Tripylella muscusi sp. n. Female (A. D). A: Cephalic region, frontal view. B: Vulva and body pores, ventral view. C: Annuli with anastomoses and body pores, lateral view. D: Vulva, somatic setae and body pores, latero-ventral view.