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Female: After killing, fixing, mounting in glycerine body almost
straight to vulva, angles slightly ventrally then straight again, gently
curving ventrally near end of tail; cylindrical from vulva anteriorly,
tapering slightly in oesophageal region to bluntly rounded, almost hemispherical
outline. Sclerotization of head delicate, arched. Head about
5.5 um wide at base, and half as high.
SEM photos show fine annuli continue onto head ending at squarish cephalic
plate with rounded corners, slight indents on dorsal and ventral borders.
Circumoral plate set off by depression, rounded corners, slightly rectangular,
innervations around slit-like oral aperture appear to be eight in number.
Amphid apertures begin near oral plate, continue as simple slits posteriorly
with slight curvature. No evidence of four cephalic papillae.
Sylet delicate, knobs small but distinct, backwardly directed. Dorsal
gland opening near stylet knobs. Metacorpus distinctly rounded, well-developed
valvular apparatus.
Isthmus slender, posterior, glandular region bulb-like pyriform 15-21
um
long. Excretory pore at level of hemizonid. Oesophago-intestinal
valve simple, low rounded. Gonad outstretched; spermatheca large,
ovate to elongate, filled with sperms about 2 um in diameter.
Uterus with four rows of four cells. Postuterine sac rounded, 11-19
um
long, 0.83-1.16 VBD. Vulva slit simple, no lateral membranes or hypoptygmata.
Lateral field two prominent lines forming plain band occupying 15-21% body
diameter; by SEM band is protruding slightly, rounded; fine irregular longitudinal
lines (probably artefact) present on band. Body tapers slightly from
vulva to anus, then more abruptly but regularly to form an elongate, finely
conoid outline on tail.
Male: Similar to female. Body narrows markedly at level of anterior
end of spicule, slightly rounded protrusion; anterior lip of cloacal opening
seems to extend slightly beyond posterior lip. Caudal alae low rounded,
adanal, 28-42 um long; begin at about narrowing of body at spicule
head, extend equal distance posterior to cloaca.
Ventral edge of lateral field merges with beginning of caudal alae,
dorsal edge continues posteriad; lateral field becomes two lines again
about 21/2 ABD posterior to cloaco then continues posteriad; exact termination
of lateral field not determined.
Diagnosis: The fine body annuli of Filenchus terrestris
are similar to F. helenae but F. terrestris differs by its
greater size [L = 0.43 (0.35-0.49) mm for F. helenae]; by its larger
stylet (= 6-7 um for F. helenae); and by its cephalic morphology
(head more bluntly rounded, labial plate a prominent squarish shape, oral
disc strongly concave with six prominent labial papillae). F.
terrestris sp. n. is also very similar to F. cabi (Siddiqi &
Hawksworth, 1982) comb. n. but differs in tail length (90-120 um
in F. cabi vs. 150-169 um in F. terrestris) and vulva
position (F. cabi has a very posterior V of 66-71 and V' of about
85%).
(Description- Raski & Geraert, 1986)