THE MONONCHIDAE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper contains a taxonomic survey of nematodes belonging to the predaceous family Mononchidae, collected by Dr. Fields Caveness in western Nigeria during 1959–61. Four genera, new to science, Crassibucca, Hadronchus, Polyonchulus, and Prionchulellus, and 16 new species, Crassibucca penicula, C. macrocauda, C. microdonta, Hadronchus bisexualis, H. monohystera, Iotonchus acuticaudus, I. clarki, I. nigeriensts. I. parabasidontus, I. tarjani, Miconchus pararapax, M. thornei, Mylonchulus curvicaudus, Polyonchulus cobbi, P. megadontus, and Prionchulellus cavenessi are described and illustrated.Several already described species are also included. Iotonchus piracicabae (Lordello) and Mononchus (I.) piracicaboides Carvalho are placed in synonymy of I. trichurus (Cobb). Miconchus dadayi (Micoletzky) in Schneider, 1953 is considered a synonym of Miconchus pararapax n. sp. Miconchus dadayi (Micoletzky, 1914), (=Mononchus macrostoma of Daday, 1910) is regarded as species inquirenda. Mylonchulus hawaiiensis (Cassidy) is removed from synonymy, and Iotonchus similis (Cobb) is designated incertae sedis. Mylonchulus montanus (Thorne) is considered a synonym of Mylonchulus lacustris (Cobb). An illustrated taxonomic key to the 14 genera in the family Mononchidae is presented. Keys to most of the world species in these genera are also included.The value of the tuberculate and non-tuberculate valve as a generic character is discussed.