Mudwigglus Leduc, 2013

Holovachov, Oleksandr, 2017, Belgopeltula belgica (Vincx & Gourbault, 1992) gen. et comb. nov. and Mudwigglus micramphidium sp. nov. from the west coast of Sweden, and reappraisal of the genus Pseudaraeolaimus Chitwood, 1951 (Nematoda: Araeolaimida: Diplopeltidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 383, pp. 1-21 : 9-10

Genus Mudwigglus Leduc, 2013

Type species

Mudwigglus patumuka Leduc, 2013

Diagnosis (emended after Leduc 2013)

Cuticle transversely striated; striae without ornamentation. Lateral alae absent. Body pores and epidermal glands present. Somatic sensilla present. Labial region bluntly rounded; lips fused. Inner labial sensilla invisible if present. Outer labial sensilla papilliform, located on the anterior surface of lips. Cephalic sensilla setiform; their bases located at the base of the labial region, anterior to amphid. Subcephalic and cervical sensilla, deirid and ocelli absent. Amphidial aperture loop-shaped (inverted U-shaped). Secretory-excretory system present; renette cell located opposite to the posterior part of the pharynx and anterior part of intestine. Cuticularised secretory-excretory duct very short, opens to the exterior at the level of the posterior part of pharynx. Oral opening apical. Buccal cavity small but distinctly subdivided into three sections: cheilostom narrow tubular; gymnostom barrel-shaped or truncate conoid, with weakly cuticularised walls; stegostom short conoid, its lining is uniform with the lining of the pharynx. Pharyngeal tubes absent. Pharynx subdivided into anterior corpus and posterior bulbus; corpus cylindrical, muscular, with evenly distributed myofilaments; bulbus muscular; pharyngeal lumen uniform in thickness along the entire pharynx length; valves absent. Dorsal gland orifice penetrates pharyngeal lumen at the base of the stoma, ventrosublateral gland orifices indistinct. Dorsal gland nucleus is visible in the basal bulbus. Female reproductive system didelphicamphidelphic with equally developed branches, ovaries antidromously reflexed. Spermatheca absent. Vulva equatorial. Vagina straight or oblique; pars proximalis vaginae encircled by single sphincter muscle; pars refringens vaginae and epiptygmata absent. Male reproductive system diorchic; anterior testis outstretched, posterior testis outstretched, with posteriorly reflexed terminal section of the germinal zone. Spicules symmetrical, arcuate; gubernaculum present. Supplements and precloacal sensilla present. Setae in caudal region of males arranged in subventral and subdorsal pairs along the tail. Three caudal glands present, their nuclei are incaudal. Caudal glands open separately via three pores (this structure is obscure in some species).

Valid species

Mudwigglus macramphidium Leduc, 2013

Mudwigglus micramphidium sp. nov.

Mudwigglus minutus ( Vitiello, 1972) comb. nov.

= Diplopeltula minuta Vitiello, 1972

Mudwigglus nellyae ( Vincx & Gourbault, 1992)

= Diplopeltula nellyae Vincx & Gourbault, 1992

Mudwigglus patumuka Leduc, 2013

Mudwigglus plebeius Leduc, 2013

Nomenclatorial change

Diplopeltula minuta Vitiello, 1972 is here transferred to the genus Mudwigglus based on its close morphological affinities to M. plebeius , from which it can only be separated by features of male accessory apparatus (one or two setae in M. minutus vs one setae and two tubular supplements in M. plebeius ).