Rhabdochona fuscovaria sp. n. (Nematoda: Rhabdochonidae) from the stomach of frog Scinax fuscovarius (Anura: Hylidae) in Brazil

A new nematode species, Rhabdochona (Rhabdochona) fuscovaria sp. n. (Rhabdochonidae), is described based on specimens collected from the stomach of the snouted treefrog Scinax fuscovarius (Hylidae) in the São Sebastião do Paraíso farm, municipality of Boa Esperança do Sul, southeastern Brazil. This species is characterized by deirids small, simple and stylet shaped, prostom funnel-shaped with 14 teeth, conspicuous left spicule (585.7 µm), distal tip slightly widened, moderately dilated, right spicule (132.9 µm), boat-shaped, without dorsal barb at the distal tip, 18 pairs of caudal papillae (9 pairs precloacal and 9 pairs postcloacal), and nonfilamented eggs. This is the fourth species described for South America and the 13th for the Neotropical Region.

A new species of Hastospiculum Skrjabin (Spirurida: Diplotriaenidae) parasite of Xenodon merremii (Walger in Spix) (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from Northeastern Brazil

A new nematode species of the Diplotriaenidae is described from the Neotropical region. The species was found infecting the body cavity of the snake Xenodon merremii (Wagler in Spix) collected in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará State, Northeastern Brazil. Hastospiculum nordestinum n. sp. differs from the congeners by combining the following characters: caudal end ornamented with lateral alae not surrounding the tail end and not connected, supported by eight pairs of pedunculated papillae (three precloacal, one paracloacal, and four postcloacal pairs) and three adcloacal sessile papillae, and left spicule length 719.6–902.4 µm. Besides the description of Hastospiculum nordestinum n. sp., a species list and a dichotomous key to Hastospiculum are provided.

Elzalia heterospiculata sp. nov. (Nematoda: Monhysterida: Xyalidae) from the South China Sea

A new free-living marine nematode species of the genus Elzalia belonging to the family Xyalidae is described from the seabed sediment of the northeast region of the South China Sea. Elzalia heterospiculata sp. nov. is characterized by elongated spicules unequal in length, left spicule prominently longer than right spicule, ratio of body length to spicule length is 4.7–6.2; complex gubernaculum consisting of four sections, apophyses clavate, 12–14 µm long; and amphideal fovea positioned near the top of the head. It is similar to E. federici Castillo-Fernandez and Lambshead, 1990 and E. floresi Gerlach, 1957. However, the new species differs from the similar two species in having markedly unequal spicules, complex gubernaculum consisting of four sections, amphideal fovea close to the top of the head. Updated key to all species of Elzalia is provided.

A new species of Orientatractis (Nematoda: Atractidae) from the tortoise Indotestudo elongata (Blyth) in China

A new species of nematode,Orientatractis longicaudatan. sp. is described from the intestine ofIndotestudo elongata(Blyth) (Testudinidae) from Zoo of Tianjin, Tianjin, China. The new species can be easily distinguished from its congers by having longer tail, by the length of gubernaculum and left spicule, and by the numbers of caudal papillae. This is first species ofOrientatractisPetter, 1966 reported in China. A key to the species ofOrientatractisis provided.

Two new species of Xyalidae (Monhysterida, Nematoda) from the East China Sea

Two new free-living nematode species of the family Xyalidae Chitwood, 1951 found in the East China Sea are described. Daptonema donghaiensis sp. nov. is characterized by epidermal chords of transparent cells present in most parts of the body; amphideal fovea approximately two times head diameter from anterior body end; L-shaped spicules with cephalate proximal end; tubular gubernaculums; and conico-cylindrical tail with long cylindrical portion. Cobbia heterospicula sp. nov. is characterized by slender body, buccal cavity with one dorsal tooth and two small subventral teeth; amphideal fovea far from the anterior body end; spicules that are paired but unequal in size, with right spicule longer and left spicule shorter; gubernaculums with dorsal apophyses; and conico-cylindrical tail with long filiform portion. An identification key to valid species of the genus Cobbia is given.

Antechiniella septentrionalis n. sp. (Spirurida: Acuariidae), a new intestinal nematode parasite of the tundra vole Microtus oeconomus (Pallas) (Rodentia: Muridae) in the north-east of Russia

Antechiniella septentrionalis n. sp. (Spirurida: Acuariidae) is described from the duodenum of a tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus (Pallas), collected in the Magadan region in the north-east part of Russia. It differs from A. suffodiax (Beveridge & Barker, 1975) and A. sertatum Smales, 1991 mainly in having a larger number of postcloacal papillae (5–6 pairs vs 4 pairs), a differently shaped left spicule, the disposition of precloacal papillae in two rows vs one, and oblong vs oval eggs. Other differences include the different disposition of ovaries in A. septentrionalis n. sp and A. suffodiax and the different structure of deirids in A. septentrionalis n. sp. and A. sertatum. The new species was characterized molecularly (partial sequences for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and cox1 mtDNA). The phylogenetic analyses performed showed the affinity of the new species to the members of the Acuariidae and other spirurid nematodes.

A new species ofProcyrnea(Nematoda: Habronematidae) parasitic inRhea pennata(Aves: Rheidae) from Patagonia, Argentina, with a key to species of the genus

Procyrnea choiquen. sp. is described from the lesser rhea,Rhea pennatad´Orbigny (Aves: Rheidae), from the Protected Natural Area Península Valdés, Chubut province, Argentina. The new species resemblesP. ficheuri,P. murrayi,P. excisiformis,P. dollfusi,P. haliasturi,P. anterovulvata,P. graculae,P. brevicaudata,P. uncinipenis,P. javaensis,P. ameerae,P. ornata,P. aegotheles,P. spiralis,P. ruschiiandP. aptera, mainly in the absence of lateral alae; but differs from its congeners by having a left spicule without barbs, the position of the vulva which is post-equatorial, the absence of lateral ridges, absent median precloacal papilla, asymmetrical caudal alae, males more than 6 mm long, left spicule 1 mm long and spicule ratio 1:3. Our results extend the taxonomy ofProcyrneaChabaud, 1958 and comprise the first report of a habronematid fromR. pennata.A key to species ofProcyrneais presented.

New morphological data of Litomosoides chagasfilhoi (Nematoda: Filarioidea) parasitizing Nectomys squamipes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Litomosoides chagasfilhoi, originally described by Moraes Neto, Lanfredi & De Souza (1997) parasitizing the abdominal cavity of the wild rodent, Akodon cursor (Winge, 1887), was found in the abdominal cavity of Nectomys squamipes (Brants, 1827), from the municipality of Rio Bonito, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. This study led to addition of new morphological data and a new geographical distribution for this filarioid in Brazil. Several characters were detailed and emended to previous records of L. chagasfilhoi in N. squamipes, and confirming the original description in A. cursor: buccal capsule longer than wide with walls thinner than the lumen, right spicule slightly sclerotized, with membranous distal extremity slender, with a small tongue-like terminal portion, left spicule with handle longer than the blade, whose edges form large membranous wings folded longitudinally.

Spirura carajaensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Spiruridae), parasite of Proechimys roberti Thomas 1901 (Rodentia: Echimyidae) from Brazilian Amazon

SummaryA new species of nematode, from the family Spiruridae, is described using parasites from the esophageal mucosa of Proechimys roberti (Rodentia: Echimyidae), which were obtained during a fauna survey in the Tapirapé-Aquirí National Forest, Carajás Reserve, Brazil, Eastern Brazilian Amazon. The helminthes were collected from the esophagus, fixed and processed for light microscopy. Spirura carajaensis n. sp. differs from other species in the genus because it has a left spicule with a well-developed sheath, which is leaf-shaped and covers the terminal half of the spicule. Males and females have a small appendix on the caudal end. This structure has not been reported before for this genus. The present study reports the first record of parasitism by Spirura in rodents of the genus Proechimys in Brazil and in the Amazon biome.

Foleyellides rhinellae sp. nov. (Nematoda, Onchocercidae) a new filaria parasitizing Rhinella marina (Anura, Bufonidae) in Mexico

A new nematode species, Foleyellides rhinellae sp. nov. (Onchocercidae), is described from specimens found in the body cavity of the cane toad, Rhinella marina (Linnaeus) (Anura, Bufonidae), in the Laguna de Coyuca, Guerrero, in the Pacific slope of Mexico. The new species differs from the other nine species of Foleyellides by infecting bufonid anurans and by the number and arrangement of caudal papillae. Other distinguishing feature of the new species is the size of the left spicule (0.16–0.23 long), the smallest recorded among the species included in the genus. Foleyellides rhinellae sp. nov. is the second known species of the genus recorded from amphibians of Mexico.