Description of Schistonchus microcarpus n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), an associate of Ficus microcarpa in China

Publisher： Brill

ISSN： 1568-5411

Source： Nematology, Vol.13, Iss.2, 2011-01, pp. : 221-233

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Abstract

Schistonchus microcarpus n. sp. was recovered from the syconia of Ficus microcarpa from Shenzhen and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, during a survey of nematode biodiversity from 2007 to 2009. It is characterised by possessing the combined characters of a short post-uterine sac (PUS) (3-11 m or <0.4 vulval="" body="" diam.="" (vbd)="" long),="" excretory="" pore="" located="" just="" posterior="" to="" the="" head="" but="" anterior="" to="" the="" conus="" level="" of="" the="" stylet,="" prominent="" amphids,="" three="" pairs="" of="" subventral="" papillae="" on="" the="" male="" tail="" (one="" pair="" adcloacal,="" one="" pair="" halfway="" between="" cloaca="" and="" tail="" terminus,="" and="" one="" pair="" near="" tail="" tip),="" unique="" recurved="" and="" sickleshaped="" spicules="" with="" finely="" rounded="" tip="" with="" cucullus,="" amoeboid="" sperm,="" and="" rounded="" male="" tail="" tip="" with="" or="" without="" mucron.="">Schistonchus microcarpus n. sp. is morphologically differentiated from all other described species in this genus by the possession of a spicule with a cucullus on the tip. Schistonchus microcarpus n. sp. was easily differentiated from other sequenced species by the partial small subunit rRNA gene (SSU) and D3 expansion segments of the large subunit rRNA gene (LSU). Phylogenetic analysis with partial SSU sequences suggests that S. microcarpus n. sp. is in a highly supported monophyletic clade with sequenced Schistonchus species except for S. hirtus. Based upon inferences using D3 LSU sequence data, it forms a clade with an undescribed species of Schistonchus ex F. benjamini from Australia and is part of a larger clade of Schistonchus that mostly share the character of an anteriorly placed excretory pore. Sequences of partial mtDNA COI (590 bp) from males of S. microcarpus n. sp. with and without a mucronate tail tip were identical, proving that these two morphotypes are conspecific.