10 ?? (Paratypes): L = 0.49-0.55 mm; a = 25-29.1;
b = 8.3-9.6; c = 17-21; V = 74-79; stylet = 18-19.3
um.
Holotype (female): L = 0.55 mm; a =
29.1; b = 9.6; c = 19.9; V = 74.2; stylet = 19.3 um.
Cuticle finely annulated, annules 1 um apart in mid-body
region. Lateral field with 4 crenate incisures occupying ? body width.
Head region flattened, about ½ as wide as high, bearing 3 annules;
strongly sclerotized. Stylet measures 19.3 um long, with anteriorly
directed knobs. Shaft of the spear 9.6 um. Orifice of
dorsal oesophageal gland lies 3.2 um behind base of spear.
Oesophageal glands in the form of a ventral lobe, extending over the intestine
for 3-4 times body width. Excretory pore 85.6 um (83-85.6
um in paratypes) from the anterior end, more than one body width
below nerve ring. A large hemizonid lies 2-3 annules above the excretory
pore and measures 2-3 um in length.
Ovary single reflexed, the flexture is about ½ body diameter.
Oocytes are arranged in a single row. Spermatheca is small, oval
in shape, filled with sperms. Crusta formaria is present, followed
by a short uterus. Post-uterine vulval sac measures one vulval body
diameter in length. Tail is conoid, with a bluntly ending annulated
terminus, 2½ anal body widths in length; phasmids located in the
middle of tail.
Male: Unknown.
Type habitat: Soil around roots of Brassica oleracea
var. botrytis L.
Type locality: Malkajgiri, Hyderabad (A.P.), India.
Type specimen: Holotype slide deposited in the Zoology
Museum, Osmania University, Hyderabad (A.P.), India.
Diagnosis: This species differs from all other existing
species in the presence of a reflexed ovary, but comes close to P. crenatus
Loof, 1960 and P. thornei Sher & Allen, 1953 in the presence
of 3 labial annules and in the shape of tail. It differs from P.
crenatus in having a shorter oesophagus, presence of spermatheca with
sperms, and length of post-uterine vulval sac. It differs from P.
thornei in the position of excretory pore, short oesophagus, conspicuous
oval spermatheca and position of phasmids. It also differs from P.
singhi sp. n. in being longer and more slender, a small flexture of
the ovary, small oval spermatheca with sperms, length of the post-uterine
vulval sac and shape of tail. It can be differentiated from P.
capitatus sp.n. by flattened lip region, shape of stylet knobs, position
of dorsal oesophageal gland orifice, position of excretory pore, presence
of a reflexed ovary, and shape of tail terminus.