Nippostrongylinae

Smales, L. R., 2016, The gastrointestinal helminths of Rattus niobe (Rodentia: Muridae) with descriptions of two new genera and three new species (Nematoda) from Papua New Guinea and Papua Indonesia, Zootaxa 4117 (2), pp. 183-197 : 193

Nippostrongylinae species 1

( Figs 35–39 )

Four males, 3 females from a single individual of R. niobe collected from Dokfuma Star Mountains, 5° 1´S 141° 7´E West Sepik, Sanduan Province; 5. iv. 1987, coll. T. Flannery AM W.48495; 1 host from hill south of Tifalmin; 15. iv. 1987, coll. T. Flannery AM W.48493; 1 host from Ofekaman, 5° 5´S 141° 35´E Telefomin area, West Sepik Sanduan Province; 13. ii. 1984, coll. T. Flannery AM W.48494.

Very small fragile worms loosely coiled. Male: 1.15–1.60 (1.31) long, 36.0–39.5 (38.1) wide. Cephalic vesicle 20.4–36.3 (29.8), oesophagus 220–260 (242), excretory pore, deirids and nerve ring not seen. Bursa dissymmetrical, right lobe larger, dorsal lobe shorter than lateral lobes, lateral rays 4, 5, 6 with common trunk; dorsal trunk symmetrical, divided at about half its length, rays 8 arising at about same level close to bifurcation of trunk; division of rays 9, 10 not observed. Gubernaculum 17 long, spicules equal, filiform, 120.0–180.0 (152.5). Female: 1.40–1.60 (1.47) mm long, 36.3–39.6 (37.8) wide. Cephalic vesicle 30.6 (3 measurements) long; oesophagus 210.0–247.5 (235.0); nerve ring and deirids not seen, excretory pore 149.6 from anterior end. Posterior end reflected ventrally, without praepuce, vulva 110.0–120.0 (113.3) from tail tip; ovejector with vagina about 20, vestibule 35, sphincter 25, infundibulum 30 long; tail blunt, conical 30.6–33.0 (32.0) long. Uterus with 3–4 thin shelled, ellipsoidal, eggs 51.0–68.0 (58.9) long, 20.4–25.5 (22.7) (measured in utero).

The nature of the material and the small number of specimens precluded either a full characterization of the bursa or the description of the synlophe. Such characters as could be observed did not correspond with the description of any known species occurring in the Sahul region

Figures

FIGURES 35 – 43. Nippostrongylinae species: Nippostrongylinae sp. 1. 35. Female anterior end, lateral view; 36. Bursa, left and right lateral lobes partially unrolled, rays numbered; 37. Male posterior end, left lateral view, rays numbered; 38. Dorsal ray; 39. Female posterior end, left lateral view. Nippostrongylinae sp. 2. 40. Female anterior end, right lateral view; 41. Female posterior end, right lateral view; 42. Ovejector; 43. Male, transverse section mid body showing the synlophe: oriented with the presumed dorsal aspect of the body towards the top of the page and the left side of the nematode on the left of the page; dorsal and ventral ridges (numbers with superscripts) numbered. Scale bars in µm: 35, 37, 39 – 42, 50; 36, 25; 38, 43, 12.5.