Two new predatory species (Mononchida: Nematoda) under the genus Mylonchulus from West Bengal, India with a revised key to the species under the genus Mylonchulus.
Tiasi Jana, Amalendu Chatterjee, Buddhadeb Manna
Author Affiliation: Zoological Survey of India, 'M'-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700 053, West Bengal, India.
Records of the Zoological Survey of India 110 : 15-29
Abstract : Mylonchulus goutami sp. n., and Mylonchulus istvani sp. n., the two new mononchid species have been described from West Bengal, India. M. goutami sp. n. is characterized by medium-lengthed curved body (L=0.97-1.24 mm); a large dorsal tooth and 7-8 regular transverse rows of denticles at the front of dorsal tooth in buccal cavity but no sub-ventral tooth; non-tuberculate oesophago-intestinal junction with simple cardia; didelphic-amphidelphic genital system with longer anterior ovary; vagina with three distinct parts. Tail short, blunt, about one anal diameter long, gradually tapering, digitate and ventrally curved; caudal glands three in number and spinneret opening terminal. It is characterized by small curved body (L=0.7-0.84 mm); a large dorsal tooth and four regular transverse rows of denticles present at the front of dorsal tooth in buccal cavity but no sub-ventral tooth; non-tuberculate oesophago-intestinal junction with a distinct cone shaped cardia; monoprodelphic genital system without any posterior branch; vagina with three distinct parts. Tail short, blunt, about one anal diameter long; caudal glands three in number and spinneret opening terminal. Mylonchulus istvani sp. n. is distinguishable from its closely related species by the following combinations of characters: body length, number of transverse rows of denticles, shape of cardia, monoprodelphic genital system and the tail shape.