Syphacia sp. 1

Weaver, H. J. & Smales, L. R., 2008, New species of Syphacia (Syphacia) Seurat (Nematoda: Oxyuridae) from Pseudomys species (Rodentia: Muridae) from central Australia, Zootaxa 1775 (1), pp. 39-50 : 44

Syphacia sp. 1

( Figs 17–18 )

Material examined. From the caecum of Pseudomys hermannsburgensis, Diamantina Crossing, Durrie Station , Queensland (25 o 41’S, 140 o 15’E), 21.iv.1984, 13 females, AHC 34476 .

Description. Female: Small nematodes, cuticle with faint striations. Cephalic plate absent. Amphids, cephalic papillae set on small projections laterally to mouth with 3 lips. Amphids set 31 apart. Deirids not seen. Cervical and lateral alae absent. Length 1575–2300. Maximum width 158–200. Oesophagus length 200–300. Oesophageal bulb 55–75 in diameter. Nerve ring 110–135, excretory pore 200–400, vulva 338–628 from anterior. Tail 140–450 long. Eggs 113–123 long, 30–43 wide.

Remarks. These female specimens belong in the genus Syphacia Seurat, 1916 because they have characteristics designated by Hugot (1988). They cannot, however, be classified to subgenus because they do not have a cephalic plate. The amphids and cephalic papillae are present on small projections set laterally to the mouth opening. This arrangement gives a “flat” look to the cephalic extremity. This feature has not been described for any Syphacia species to date, and does not correspond with any of the groups designated by Quentin (1971), or subgenera designated by Hugot (1988) and discussed by Hasegawa and Tarore (1996). Although Syphacia sp. 1 appears to be a new species, more material, particularly male specimens, will need to be collected in order to confirm if these specimens represent a new species.

Figures

FIGURES 17–22. 17. Syphacia sp. 1 anterior end, lateral view. 18. Syphacia sp. 1 en face view. 19. Syphacia sp. 1, en face view. 20. Syphacia sp. 1 Egg, lateral view. 21. Syphacia sp. 2 en face view. 22. Syphacia sp. 2 mid-body, lateral view. Scale bars: 18, 19, 21 = 25µm; 17, 20 = 50µm; 22 = 100µm.