Aglenchus muktii
Phukan & Sanwal, 1980
Photo Gallery- Konza Prairie

Dimensions:  14 females (paratypes):  L = 0.546 (0.525-).620) mm; a = 40 (36-47); b = 6.5 (6.3-7.1); c = 3.0 (2.5-3.1); c' = 21.9 ( 20.0-25.0); V = 51 (46-53); stylet = 12 (11-13) um.
                    5 males (paratypes): L = 0.540 (0.520-0.558) mm; a = 37 (35-45); b = 6.4 (6.2-6.6); c = 2.9 (2.8-3.0); T =  23.5 (23-25); stylet = 11 (10-13) um.
                  Holotype female:  L = 0.540 mm; a = 36; b = 6.4; c = 2.6; c' = 20.6; V = 46.2; stylet = 11um.
Description:
    Females: Body attenuated posteriorly, rather sharply from the anus, forming a long filiform tail.  On fixation, body anterior to anus almost straight, posterior to anus slightly curved ventrally.  Body cuticle coarsely striated, striations 1.5-2.5um apart in the neck region and 1.3-2.0um in the mid-body.  Lateral fields occupying about one third of body width and marked with 3 incisures.  No lonigitudinal lines on the cuticle.
    Lip region without annulations, flatly rounded in contour.  En face view shows centrally located oral aperature surrounded by distinct lip cap and six lips, of which the laterals are slightly larger and bear the minute amphidial openings.  Sclerotization distinct.  Hemizonid at level of anterior end of basal bulb, extending 2 body annules.  Excretory pore just behind hemizonid, 66-70um from anterior end.  Stylet well developed, conus and shaft of about equal size; basal knobs rounded measuring 2.0-3.0um across.  Opening of dorsal oesophageal gland located 1.5-2.5um behind stylet base.  Procorpus and isthmus almost equal in length.  Median bulb spherical; basal bulb pyriform; cardia distinct.  Intestinal cells filled with granules.  Rectum equal to one anal body width or slightly longer.
    Ovary single, prodelphic,outstretched; spermatheca somewhat elongated, 12-14 x 7-9 um in size, filled with sperm.  Post-vulvar uterine sac absent.  Vagina occupies one third of vulval body width; vulva with a distinct vulval flap.
    Tail filiform, tapering sharply beyond anus to a rounded terminus, 178-276um in length, 20-25 times anal body diameter and about 2 times vulva-anus distance.
    Males:  Similar to females in body form.  Testis single, outstretched.  Spicules 15-16um long, gubernaculum 5um long. Caudal alae well developed, adanal, 35-39um long. Cloacal opening slightly raised. Tail long and filiform, 178-192um in length.
    Type habitat and locality:  Soil around roots of peach (Prunus persica) from Konwar Gaon, Dhakuakhana, Assam, collected by Shri M.N. Phukan on 25-10-77.
    Additional collections:  Specimens identified as A. muktii were also collected from soil around roots of tea plants (Camellia chinensis) at Tezpur, Assam.
    Differential diagnosisAglenchus muktii sp. n. comes close to A. agricola (de Man, 1884) Meyl, 1961 and A. prargicola (Paetzold, 1958) Meyl, 1961.  From A. agricola it differs in having a non-annulated lip region, 3 incisures in the lateral field, and a very long filiform tail.  (A. agricola has 3 annules in lip region, lateral incisures and a tail which is not as filiform as in A. muktii).  The new species differs from A. paragicola in having a smaller body, longer stylet, anteriorly placed vulva, and 3 incisures in lateral field.  (In A. paragricola, L = 0.617-0.069 mm, stylet = 10.6-10.7 um; V = 57.5-58.5, 4 incisures in lateral field).
    In having 3 incisures, A. muktii resembles A. indicus Khan, Chawla & Prasad, 1969, but differs from it in having larger body length, smaller body diameter, non-annulated lip region, anteriorly placed vulva, longer tail which is 20-25 times anal body-width, and by the absence of longitudinal lines on the body cuticle.  (In A. indicus L = 0.4-0.5 mm, a = 20.5-26.5, lip region with 3 annules, body cuticle with 14 longitudinal lines, V = 65-68, c = 5-6, tail 9-10 times anal body-width).

DNA Sequences Obtained
Specimen: Collected:
KonzaVI AA-127 Konza Prairie, First survey