Travassosinema dalei sp. n. (Thelastomatoidea; Nematoda) from the hind gut of an Australian scarabaeid larva

Abstract

Travassosinema dalei sp. n. (Thelastomatidae, Oxyuromorpha, Rhabditida), a new species of pinworms, is described from the posterior gut of a scarabaeid larva collected at Mount Glorious, Queensland, Australia. Numerous males of T. dalei sp. n. were discovered together with females bearing cephalic umbraculum, a set of six cephalic wings, which is characteristic for the genus Travassosinema Rao, 1958. The conspecificity of males with females was proven by sequencing of the LSU rDNA D2D3 segment and observed mating of males and females. Description is illustrated by drawings and SEM images. Relationships between three genera of umbraculumbearing nematodes are discussed. © 2012 The Royal Society of New Zealand.