Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Discolaimus haridwarensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida: Qudsianematidae) from India

Abstract

Discolaimus haridwarensis sp. n. is described from agricultural fields of sugarcane in the Haridwar district, India. It is characterized by its 2.11-2.32 mm long body, lip region offset by deep constriction and 27-30 mu m wide, odontostyle 20-23 mu m long with aperture occupying 50-54% of its length, 436-487 mu m long neck, pharyngeal expansion 57-59% of total neck length, uterus a simple tube-like structure 22-31 mu m long or 0.3-0.5 times the corresponding body diameter, pars refringens vaginae absent, transverse vulva (V = 48-55), female tail conoid (34-40 mu m, c = 53-68, c ' = 1.0-1.3) with rounded terminus, and males absent. The phylogenetic analysis inferred from the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA gene and 18S rRNA gene sequences showed that Discolaimus haridwarensis sp. n. clustered with other dorylaimid species from the genus Discolaimus and the subfamily Discolaiminae.