New species of Syphacia (Syphacia) Seurat (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from Pseudomys species (Rodentia: Muridae) from central Australia Weaver, H. J. Smales, L. R. Zootaxa 2008 2008-05-23 1775 1 39 50 Weaver & Smales, 2008 Weaver & Smales 2008 [151,562,911,937] Secernentea Oxyuridae Syphacia Animalia Ascaridida 2 41 Nematoda species brevicaudata sp. nov. Syphacia  ( Figs 1–8)   Material examined.  Holotype: male from caecum,  Pseudomys desertor, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia( 20 o44’S, 139 o27’E),  29.iv.1994, coll. M. Thomas, SAM AHC34461.   Allotype: female, same data, SAM AHC34462.   Paratypes: 1 male, 281 females, same data, SAM AHC34463.  Other material examined.  From  Pseudomys hermannsburgensis, Ethabuka Station, Queensland( 23 o39’S, 138 o17’E),  4.vi.1998, 2 males, 4 females SAM AHC34465;  Yulara, Northern Territory( 25 o14’S, 130 o59’E),  July 1994, 1 male, 3 females, ANWC N4391;  Nockatunga Station, Queensland( 27 o43’S, 142 o43’E),  17.vii.1976, 11 females, SAM AHC34464.   Description. General:Small nematodes, cuticle with faint transverse striations. Cephalic plate oval, constricted dorsally and ventrally between mouth opening and level of amphids and cephalic papillae which are close together laterally, not on edge of plate ( Fig. 6). Mouth opening surrounded by 3 lips. Deirids not seen. Cervical and lateral alae absent.  Male:Length 700–1420 (n=5, =1007, sd=256.7). Maximum width 55–110 (n=5, =88, sd=21.8). Amphids 23 apart. Oesophagus length 132.5–155 (n=5, =155, sd=15.7). Oesophageal bulb 38 (n=1) long, 42.5–60 (n=5, =49, sd=6.8) wide. Nerve ring 62.5–87.5 (n=5, =76, sd=9.9), excretory pore 177.5–212.5 (n=5, =197.5, sd=15.9) anterior mamelon 207–275 (n=5, =238.5, sd=24.4) from cephalic extremity. Mamelons, 3, oval shaped, anterior mamelon 38–60 (n=5, =47, sd=10.9), middle mamelon 33.3–57.5 (n=5 =41.5, sd=9.8), posterior mamelon 35–67.5 (n=5, =51.5, sd=12.8) long. Spicule 60–67.5 (n=5, =62, sd=3.2), long, needle shaped. Gubernaculum 27.5–30 (n=5, =27.7, sd=1.9), without obvious ornamentation. Caudal alae present; 2 pairs cloacal, 2 pairs large post-anal papillae. Tail 67.5–100 (n=5, =87, sd=11.9) long, whip structure 45–70 (n=2) long.  Female:Length 1620–3375 (n=20, =2348.1, sd=575.9). Maximum width 110–168 (n=20, =141.4, sd=17.4). Amphids 31 apart. Oesophagus length 175–288 (n=20, =220.8, sd=39.7). Oesophageal bulb 44 (n=1) long, 55–105 (n=20, =68.7, sd=13.7) wide. Nerve ring 80–138 (n=20, =116.2, sd=17.1), excretory pore 187.5–430 (n=20, =309.2, sd=58), vulva 312.5–688 (n=20, =470.1, sd=105.1) from cephalic extrem- ity. Tail 260–438 (n=20, =311.1, sd=55.4) long. Eggs 113–123 (n=10, =117.5, sd=3.9) long, 33–45 (n=10, =38, sd=4.5) wide.   Etymology.Named for the short tail length of the males, a distinguishing feature.   Remarks.This new species belongs in the genus  Syphaciaand subgenus  SyphaciaSeurat, 1916because it has the characteristics of the genus as designated by Hugot (1988). It has neither the well developed lateral alae nor the quadrangular cephalic plate of the subgenus  Cricetoxyuris Hugot, 1988nor the short, conical tail and chitinous hook on the accessory piece of the gubernaculum that distinguish the subgenus  Seuratoxyuris Hugot, 1988. Within the subgenus, having an oval cephalic plate, with laterally situated submedian papillae, no cervical alae and the tip of the tail longer than half the total length,  Syphacia (Syphacia) brevicaudata  sp. nov.most closely resembles Group V, comprising  S. (S.) obvelata(Rudolphi, 1802),  S. (S.) arcticaTiner & Rausch, 1950,  S.(S.) millardiaeHugot, 2005,  S. (S.) montanaYamaguti, 1943,  S. (S.) nigerianaBaylis, 1928, and  S. (S.) venteliTravassos, 1937of Quentin (1971)and Hugot (1988; 2005) but differs from all these in having a constricted cephalic plate and two pairs of post-anal papillae.   Syphacia (S.) brevicaudataalso differs from all its congeners found in the Australian bioregion in having two pairs of post-anal papillae. Four Australian species,  S. (S.) abertoni, S. (S.) darwini, S. (S.) longaecaudaand  S. (S.) sulawesiensis,also have oval cephalic plates but only  S. abertonihas a constricted cephalic plate similar in shape to that of  S. (S.) brevicaudata(see Weaver & Smales 2006).  Syphacia (S.) brevicaudatafurther differs from  S. (S.) abertoniin being without cervical alae.  Syphacia (S.) darwiniwith only two mamelons ( Hugot & Quentin 1985),  S. (S.) longaecaudawith a longer tail (67.5–100 compared with 370–490 inmales), longer spicule (60–67.5 compared with 76–97) and longer eggs (113–123 compared with 94–100 ( Smales 2001)) and  S. (S.) sulawesiensiswith large lateral alae ( Hasegawa & Tarore 1996) all have an oval cephalic plate without constrictions. A quadrangular cephalic plate further distinguishes  S. (S.) australasiensisand  S. (S.) muris, the other species found in the region, from  S. (S.) brevicaudata(see Quentin 1971; Smales 2004). AHC34461 1994-04-29 SAM, AHC M. Thomas Australia -20.733334 Queensland 1266 139.45 2 41 1 Queensland holotype AHC34462 [197,754,1109,1135] SAM, AHC 2 41 1 allotype AHC34463 [197,918,1149,1175] SAM, AHC 2 41 282 281 1 paratype AHC34465 1998-06-04 SAM, AHC -23.65 Station 1254 138.28334 From 2 41 6 4 2 Queensland 1994-07 ANWC -25.233334 Yulara 1247 130.98334 2 41 N4391 4 3 1 Northern Territory AHC34464 1976-07-17 SAM, AHC -27.716667 Nockatunga Station 1235 142.71666 2 41 11 11 Queensland