Tripylella quitoensis, 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 : 205-207

Tripylella quitoensis sp. n.

( Fig. 4 A–D, Fig. 5 A–D)

Measurements: See Tables 1 and 2.

Female (n=10): Body C-shaped upon relaxation and fixation. Cuticle 2 Μm thick, with fine striations. Setae and pores present posterior to the cervical region, scattered along the body. Head region rounded, 12–16 Μm wide; inner labial papillae conical and very small; outer labial setae conical 1.8–2.9 Μm long; cephalic setae small, <1 Μm long and very difficult to see, separated from the outer labial setae by <1Μm so that there appears to be a single whorl of six longer and four shorter setae. The dorsal tooth is 9–16 (12±0.7) Μm from the anterior end and 1–3 (1.9±0.2) Μm posterior to the two subventral teeth; the dorsal tooth and subventral teeth are in the same stomal chamber. Amphids caliciform, 7–8 Μm from anterior end of the body. Cervical setae absent. Distance between base of pharynx and vulva 160–238 (196±8.4) Μm. Cardia very conspicuous, 15–25 (21±1.1) Μm long and 15–26 (22±1.0) Μm wide, comprised of six cells, the anterior and posterior of medium size and the median cells larger. Excretory pore not observed.

Female gonads reflexed, the anterior 36–118 (70±8.6) Μm long and 5.1–15.6 (9.7±1.1)% of the body length and the posterior 47–80 (59±3.3) Μm long and 7.1–11.3 (8.3±0.4)% of the body length. Vulva 226–292 (253±6.8) Μm anterior to the anus, without protruding lips and with very small oval cuticular structures. Rectum 11–25 (16±1.6) Μm long, 0.9–1.9 (1.4±0.1) times anal body diameter, anus with protruding lips. Tail cylindroid, narrowing abruptly at 54–64 (58±1.0)% of its length and ending in a spinneret 2–4 Μm long.

Male: Unknown.

Type Locality and Habitat: Moss on trunk of tree, in the botanical garden, Parque La Carolina, Quito , Ecuador, S0°11'10.8", W78°29'07.7", 2779 m above sea level.

Type Specimens: Holotype female ( CNHE 9057) and paratypes ( CNHE 9058) in CNHE; paratypes in CNCP and NCE.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the geographic location of the type species, Quito, Ecuador.

Diagnosis and Relationships: Tripylella quitoensis sp. n. is characterized by the short body length (0.7–0.8) mm, the small outer labial setae, 1.8–2.9 Μm long, the dorsal tooth and subventral teeth in the same stomal chamber, the subventral teeth anterior to the dorsal tooth, the short tail (72–112 Μm), the absence of an excretory pore, the presence of body pores, the finely-striated cuticle, the non-protruding vulval lips, and the vulva with very small oval sclerotized pieces.

Tripylella quitoensis sp. n. is close to T. mexicana sp. n. in the lengths of the body and pharynx, in the position of the vulva, the finely-striated cuticle and in the anterior position of the subventral teeth and their presence in the same stomal chamber as the dorsal tooth. It differs in having a thicker cuticle, the larger index c, 6.9–10.1 (7.5±0.3) vs. 5.5–7.5 (6.3±0.2), in the length of the tail 71–112 (98±3.8) vs. 99–132 (117±2.8) Μm, and in the proportion of the tail that is reduced in diameter 36–60 (45±2.2)% vs. 28–48 (41±1.5)%.

Tripylella quitoensis sp. n. is close to T. iucunda Andrássy, 2008 in the short pharynx and tail and small somatic setae, and in the posterior position of the subventral teeth. It differs in having a finely-striated cuticle vs. the smooth cuticle of T. iucunda , in the tail length 71–112 (98±3.8) vs. 105–120 Μm, in the presence of body pores, in the absence of cervical setae vs. the two present in T. iucunda , in the length of the pharynx 160–189 (175±3.2) vs. 150–158 Μm and in small oval vs. larger heart-shaped sclerotized pieces in the vulva.

Molecular Characteristics: There was no material available for molecular characterization of T. quitoensis .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Tripylella quitoensis sp. n. Female (A. D). A. Entire body; B: Anterior end; C: Pharynx intestinal junction; D: Tail. Tripylella fatimaensis sp. n. Female (E. I) E: Anterior end; F: Anterior end; G: Pharyngo-intestinal junction; H: Posterior end; I: Tail.

FIGURE 5. Tripylella quitoensis sp. n. Female (A. D). A: Anterior end lateral view. B: Annuli and somatic setae. C: Tail lateral view. D: Tapered region of tail and caudal setae.