A NEW FREE-LIVING NEMATODE GENUS TETRATOBRILUS GEN. NOV. (TRIPLONCHIDA: TOBRILIDAE) FROM WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Abstract

A new free-living nematode Tetratobrilus dentatus gen. nov. sp. nov. under family Tobrilidae Filipjev, 1918 of the order Triplonchida Cobb, 1919 is described from a drowned paddy field soil (mud) in West Bengal, India. It is characterized by heavily sclerotized walls of anterior portion of the buccal cavity, a small dorsal tooth and two sub-ventral stomatal pockets longitudinally, one following another. The first pocket is fused with the posterior portion of the stoma, similar to the genus Epitobrilus, but differs in the presence of two adjacent teeth (vs. one) in the first pocket. The second pocket contains only one tooth. It also possesses smaller anterior setae (less than 40% of head diameter) and a subterminal setae. Males bear six characteristic pitcher-shaped supplements. Comprehensive details regarding the morphological structures, accompanied by figures and morphometric measurements, are presented in this report. An updated key to the genus and other genera of family Tobrilidae is also provided. Key Words: Stomatal pockets, sub-ventral teeth, Tobrilidae, new genus, new species