Two new species of Heth Cobb, 1898 (Nematoda: Ransomnematoidea) from Northern Mindanao, the Philippines

Abstract

Heth konoplevi n. sp. and Heth initiensis n. sp. are described from an unidentified spirobolid (Rhinocricidae) millipede collected at Mindanao Island, the Philippines. Females of H. konoplevi n. sp. are characterised by the absence of lateral cuticular lappets and the arrangement of lateral spines with an unpaired one in mid-lateral position that brings it closer to H. zeuglocantha from Papua New Guinea. The presence of a cervical collar, lateral cuticular lappets, two pairs of lateral cuticular spines in females and a bursa-like extension around the cloacal region in males of H. initiensis n. sp. makes it closer to some representatives of the genus from the Asia-Pacific and Australasian regions. The description of H. initiensis n. sp. is supplemented by details of the fourth-stage juvenile morphology. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of SSU and LSU rDNA is provided.