Cyber catalogue and revision of the nematode genus Enchodelus (Dorylaimida, Nordiidae).

Background: The genus Enchodelus is an intriguing free-living dorylaimid nematode taxon. Its representatives display a distinct distributional pattern as they are mainly spread in high altitudinal enclaves of the Northern Hemisphere, being often associated with mosses and cliff vegetation. Although their feeding habits have not been studied with experimental protocols, it is traditionally assumed that they are omnivorous.The genus Enchodelus has not been recently revised; descriptions of many 'old species' (that have been described long ago and have not been reported since their original discovery) are of poor quality, hardly discoverable and do not conform to the nowadays taxonomical standards. Thus, a comprehensive compilation and analysis of their literature data is indispensable to provide new insights into the taxonomy of the genus and to elucidate its evolutionary relationships. New information: This contribution provides a cyber catalogue of all Enchodelus species, 28 in total. It compiles available information from the key European Research Infrastructures, such as TreatmentBank, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics Literature Services (SIBiLS), the Catalogue of Life (CoL), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) and Biodiversity Literature Repository (BLR). Data about their distribution (geographical records and habitats) are incorporated too and all brought together. It is completed with discussion and notes for some species, along with information on species distributions and microhabitats. Here, all available information on Enchodelus species is brought together. This will contribute to a more complete assessment of species diversity and distribution and support further biogeographical and ecological research.Besides, type material Enchodelusvestibulifer Altherr, 1952, deposited in the Museo Cantonale di Storia Naturale di Lugano (Switzerland), is re-examined and the species is considered as incertae sedis. Further, a new species of the genus found in Caucasus, Georgia is described after its morphological and molecular study; also morphological and molecular data for E.macrodorus (de Man, 1880) Thorne, 1939, the type species of the genus, collected from Spain are provided.

Description of Aporcella daklakensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida: Aporcelaimidae), associated with coffee plantations in Central Highland of Vietnam.

A new species of the genus Aporcella, collected in replanted coffee orchards in Central Highland of Vietnam, is described and illustrated. Aporcella daklakensis sp. n. is characterized by its 1.63-1.98 mm long body, lip region offset by weak constriction and 14-15 µm broad, odontostyle 13-15 µm long or equal to lip region diameter, neck 400-565 µm long, pharyngeal expansion 205-335 µm long and occupying 51-60% of the total neck length, female genital system diovarian with very poorly developed genital tract and transverse vulva (V = 53-59), tail conical with rounded terminus (31-39 µm, c = 43-57, c' = 1.0-1.4), visibly subdigitate and bearing cuticular irregularities at its ventral side, and male absent. The new species is compared with its closest Aporcella representatives.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Talanema eshtiaghii sp. n. (Dorylaimida, Qudsianematidae) from Iran.

A new species of the genus Talanema, recovered from the northwest of Iran, was described based on morphological, morphometric, and molecular data. Talanema eshtiaghii sp. n. was characterized by its 1.45-1.68 mm long body, lip region offset by constriction and 13-15 µm wide, odontostyle 15-18 µm long, double guiding ring, neck 312-362 µm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 41-43% of the total neck length, uterus tripartite, and 111-189 µm long or 2.1-3.2 body diameters, vulva transverse (V = 55-58), tail similar in both sexes, conical with a dorsal concavity (30-44 µm, c = 33-56, c' = 1.0-1.6), spicules 49-56 µm long, and 14-18 shortly spaced ventromedian supplements in front of the level of the anterior end of spicules, with distinct hiatus. It was compared to four closely similar species, with emphasis on the most relevant traits to distinguish them. Molecular phylogenetic studies using partial sequence of the 28S rDNA (D2-D3 segment) revealed that the new species forms a clade with other currently sequenced representatives of Talanema, tentatively supporting the monophyly of this genus.

Description of Crassolabium unicum sp. n. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida: Qudsianematidae) from Vietnam.

Crassolabium unicum sp. n., collected from a natural habitat in Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by its 0.770.94 mm long body, three-layered cuticle, lip region offset by depression and 1213.5 µm broad, odontostyle 13.515 µm long with wide aperture occupying 3646% of its length, neck 235260 µm long, pharyngeal expansion 117131 µm long or occupying 4752% of total neck length, anterior part of intestine presenting very distinct folds, female genital system didelphic-amphidelphic, uterus simple and 2843 µm or 0.70.9 body diameters, vulva transverse (V = 4552), prerectum bearing a blind postrectal sac, caudal region short and rounded (2125 µm, c = 4561, c' = 0.60.8) with two (dorsal and ventral) lacunae between outer and intermediate cuticle layers, and male unknown. It is compared with the similar representatives of the genus.

New insights into the identity of Discolaimium dubium Das, Khan and Loof, 1969 (Dorylaimida) as derived from its morphological and molecular characterization, with the proposal of its transference to Aporcella Andrássy, 2002.

Three Iranian populations of Discolaimium dubium are studied, including their morphological and morphometric characterization, molecular analysis (LSU-rDNA) and the description of the male for the first time. For comparative purposes, this species is distinguished by its 1.10 to 1.40 mm long body, lip region offset by constriction and 8 to 10 µm wide, odontostyle 7.5 to 10.5 µm long with aperture occupying 59 to 76% of total length, neck 300 to 362 µm, pharyngeal expansion 127 to 181 µm long or 44 to 46% of the total neck length, uterus simple and 38 to 53 µm or 1.2 to 1.5 times the body diameter long, V = 52 to 58, tail conical (32-38 µm, c = 32-43, c' = 1.6-2.0) with rounded tip and a hyaline portion occupying 14 to 15% of tail length, spicules 30 to 32 µm long, and two or three widely space ventromedian supplements with hiatus. Both morphological and molecular data support its belonging to the genus Aporcella, whose monophyly is confirmed and to which the species is formally transferred as A. dubia (Das et al., 1969) comb. n.

On the identity of Eucephalobus oxyuroides (de Man, 1876) Steiner, 1936 (Rhabditida, Cephalobidae), with an updated taxonomy of the genus and notes about its phylogeny.

The identity of Eucephalobus oxyuroides is discussed after studying two Iberian populations that fit the original description of the species. A new characterization is consequently provided as follows: 0.49 to 0.70 mm long body, lip region continuous with the adjoining body and bearing short probolae prongs, neck 132 to 158 µm long, spermatheca 23 to 47 µm long or 1.0 to 1.8 times the corresponding body diameter, post-vulval uterine sac 40 to 54 µm long or 2.0 to 2.5 times as long as the body diameter, V = 58 to 64, female tail conical elongate with very acute terminus (60-79 µm, c = 7.1-10.0, c' = 4.9-5.8), male tail conical (36-49 µm, c =10.9-14.3, c' = 2.4-3.4) with an elongate acute mucro, and spicules 21 to 22 µm long. Previous records of the species are revised. An emended diagnosis of the genus is proposed, and its taxonomy is updated with a list of species, key to their identification and illustrations. The evolutionary relationships of Eucephalobus, as derived from the analyses of 18S and 28S rDNA fragments, reveals that it occupies a basal position within the subfamily Cephalobidae.The identity of Eucephalobus oxyuroides is discussed after studying two Iberian populations that fit the original description of the species. A new characterization is consequently provided as follows: 0.49 to 0.70 mm long body, lip region continuous with the adjoining body and bearing short probolae prongs, neck 132 to 158 µm long, spermatheca 23 to 47 µm long or 1.0 to 1.8 times the corresponding body diameter, post-vulval uterine sac 40 to 54 µm long or 2.0 to 2.5 times as long as the body diameter, V = 58 to 64, female tail conical elongate with very acute terminus (60-79 µm, c = 7.1-10.0, c' = 4.9-5.8), male tail conical (36-49 µm, c =10.9-14.3, c' = 2.4-3.4) with an elongate acute mucro, and spicules 21 to 22 µm long. Previous records of the species are revised. An emended diagnosis of the genus is proposed, and its taxonomy is updated with a list of species, key to their identification and illustrations. The evolutionary relationships of Eucephalobus, as derived from the analyses of 18S and 28S rDNA fragments, reveals that it occupies a basal position within the subfamily Cephalobidae.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Pungentus sufiyanensis n. sp. and additional data on P. engadinensis (Altherr, 1950) Altherr, 1952 (Dorylaimida: Nordiidae) from northwest of Iran.

Two species of the genus Pungentus, one new and one known, collected in natural vegetation and cultivated soils in northwest of Iran, are studied. Pungentus sufiyanensis n. sp. is characterized by its 1.22 to 1.57 mm long body, offset lip region by a constriction and 7 to 9 µm broad, 18 to 21 µm long odontostyle, 304 to 348 µm long neck, 133 to 161 µm long esophageal expansion, mono-opisthodelphic female genital system without anterior uterine sac, slightly backward directed vagina, absence of pars refringens vaginae, V = 47-54, rounded-conoid caudal region (17.5-23 µm, c = 65-84, c´ = 0.7-1) with saccate bodies, and the absence of male. Molecular analysis, based on D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rDNA (LSU), confirms the monophyly of the family Nordiidae and suggests the monophyly of the genus Pungentus, with the new species forming a clade with other Iranian species. New data are presented for six Iranian populations of P. engadinensis, and an updated key for the identification of Pungentus species is also provided.Two species of the genus Pungentus, one new and one known, collected in natural vegetation and cultivated soils in northwest of Iran, are studied. Pungentus sufiyanensis n. sp. is characterized by its 1.22 to 1.57 mm long body, offset lip region by a constriction and 7 to 9 µm broad, 18 to 21 µm long odontostyle, 304 to 348 µm long neck, 133 to 161 µm long esophageal expansion, mono-opisthodelphic female genital system without anterior uterine sac, slightly backward directed vagina, absence of pars refringens vaginae, V = 47−54, rounded-conoid caudal region (17.5­23 µm, c = 65­84, c´ = 0.7­1) with saccate bodies, and the absence of male. Molecular analysis, based on D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rDNA (LSU), confirms the monophyly of the family Nordiidae and suggests the monophyly of the genus Pungentus, with the new species forming a clade with other Iranian species. New data are presented for six Iranian populations of P. engadinensis, and an updated key for the identification of Pungentus species is also provided.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Epidorylaimus procerus sp. n. (Dorylaimida: Qudsianematidae) from Vietnam.

Epidorylaimus procerus sp. n., collected from a natural habitat in Vietnam, is described and illustrated. It is distinguishable by its 2.16 to 2.46-mm-long body, lip region offset by depression and 15 to 17-µm broad, odontostyle 32 to 35-µm long, neck 415 to 461-µm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 47 to 52% of the total neck length, uterus 76 to 130-µm long or 1.0 to 1.5-body diameters, vulva transverse (V = 40-43), caudal region conical elongate (157-186 µm, c =12.1-14.4, c' = 4.4-5.5) with blister-like bodies, and hyaline portion occupying one-fourth its length, and males absent. Molecular analysis shows a close relationship of the new species and E. lugdunensis, supporting monophyly of the genus Epidorylaimus.

Description of Metarhabditis giennensis sp. n. (Nematoda, Rhabditida, Rhabditidae) from decaying wood of a riverbank forest in the southern Iberian Peninsula.

A new species of the genus Metarhabditis, M. giennensis sp. n., collected from a riverbank poplar forest in the southern Iberian Peninsula, is described and illustrated, including SEM observations. The new species is characterized by its 1.01-1.16 mm long body in females and 0.77-0.98 in males, cuticle with very fine transverse striation, lip region 9-14 µm broad and consisting of six swollen rounded lips fused in pairs, stoma 14-25 µm long with tubular gymno-promesostegostom, pharynx with slightly swollen metacorpus and slender isthmus, nerve ring, excretory pore and deirids located at isthmus level, female reproductive system didelphic-amphidelphic, vulva equatorial (V = 49-50), female rectum length 1.2-1.7 times the anal body width, female tail conical-elongate with acute tip (123-199 µm, c = 5.8-8.2, c' = 8.2-11.1), male tail conical (34-56 µm, c = 15.5-25.7, c' = 2.4-3.5), bursa leptoderan, 32-41 µm long spicules with rounded and ventrally bent manubrium, and 17-20 µm long gubernaculum. An updated list of species of the genus and a key for their identification are also provided. [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7EBAC9DB-A148-4A1A-97E5-3B796D0839BF].